Cardiology is a field of medicine that is particularly concerned with the study, treatment and cure of heart disease. It is therefore also referred to literally as the “study of the heart“. In order to work as a cardiologist, physicians in Germany must be able to provide evidence of special training.
What is cardiology?
Cardiology is a field of medicine that is particularly concerned with the study, treatment and cure of heart disease. The term cardiology refers to the branch of human medicine that deals with diseases and damage to the heart. It deals not only with actual congenital or later acquired diseases of the heart itself, but also with those of the surrounding blood vessels and the blood circulation itself. For this reason, there is often overlap with other medical specialties such as pneumology and neurology. Physicians who wish to practice as cardiologists in Germany must complete special further training and be able to prove the knowledge acquired there. The designation “cardiologist” is protected and may only be used by persons who have the appropriate knowledge and skills. The exact designation for these physicians is “specialist in internal medicine with a focus on cardiology.”
Treatments and therapies
The specialty of cardiology is concerned in the broadest sense with diseases, damage and abnormalities in the area of the heart. Not only are direct diseases of the organ itself diagnosed, researched and treated, but also those of the blood circulation or cardiovascular system. These include, for example, the very common high blood pressure and strokes. Cases of coronary heart disease are treated particularly frequently in cardiology. This is a disease of the coronary vessels that can lead to angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias and even heart attacks as it progresses. Just like coronary heart disease (CHD) itself, these associated symptoms are among the very common diseases in the field of cardiology. Heart muscle weakness (cardiac insufficiency) is also relatively common. This is a medical condition in which the heart is unable to transport blood without a significant increase in pressure. Cardiac arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation, are also more common in cardiology. For these, there is a special corresponding subfield called rhythmology. The rarer diseases that fall within the specialist field of cardiology include diseases of the heart muscle or the heart valves. Inflammatory heart diseases such as myocarditis and endocarditis are also treated, but occur rather rarely. Heart disease occurring after infections has been a major problem within cardiology in the past, but has been kept to a minimum in Europe.
Diagnosis and examination methods
The field of cardiology includes the study, detection and treatment of all diseases affecting the heart, surrounding vessels and the circulatory system. Various examination and treatment methods can be used for this purpose. Basically, an ultrasound examination of the heart is usually performed in order to provide information about possible organic damage. With the help of an ECG (electrocardiogram), the activities of the heart muscle fibers are checked to verify the regularity or irregularity of the heart sounds. To get a closer look at the heart and its surroundings, the physician may perform a catheter examination. Depending on what conditions or damage have been diagnosed, numerous different treatment avenues may be pursued within cardiology. For example, in some cases, medication can be administered (such as to lower blood pressure), which can already alleviate the symptoms. If the patient’s heart beats too slowly, a pacemaker can be inserted to regulate the heartbeat. Not only the insertion of the pacemaker, but also the comprehensive aftercare falls within the scope of cardiology. Blocked or clogged arteries are bypassed by means of a bypass operation so that blood flow can resume as usual. By implanting a so-called cardioverter/defibrillator, cardiac death due to ventricular fibrillation and the resulting cardiac arrest can be prevented.Particularly surgical, but also medicinal or other methods of treatment in the field of cardiology fundamentally require regular intensive aftercare. This is the only way to ensure the patient’s health in the long term despite heart disease.
