Interventional Cardiology is an area of medicine within the subspecialty of cardiology that uses specialized imaging and other diagnostic techniques to evaluate blood flow and pressure in the coronary arteries and chambers of the heart, as well as technical procedures and medications to treat abnormalities that impair the function of the cardiovascular system.
Interventional cardiology is the subspecialty of cardiology that deals specifically with the catheter-based treatment of heart diseases. The field includes the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease, vascular disease, and acquired structural heart disease. For pediatric interventional cardiologists, congenital heart defects are the major focus of diagnosis and treatment.
Echocardiography is a test that uses sound waves to produce live images of your heart. The image is called an echocardiogram. This test allows your doctor to monitor how your heart and its valves are functioning.
The images can help them get information about:
- blood clots in the heart chambers
- fluid in the sac around the heart
- problems with the aorta, which is the main artery connected to the heart
- problems with the pumping function or relaxing function of the heart
- problems with the function of your heart valves
- pressures in the heart
An echocardiogram is key in determining the health of the heart muscle, especially after a heart attack. It can also reveal heart defects in unborn babies.
Structural heart disease is a problem with the tissues or valves of the heart. Many, structural heart diseases are congenital [con-JEN-it-al], which means present at birth. Some structural heart disease will develop later in life. There are many kinds of structural heart diseases, but they all involve a defect or disorder in the structure of the heart tissue or valves. Heart conditions that fall in the category of structural heart disease include:
- Aortic valve stenosis
- Atrial septal defect and Patent foramen ovale
- Heart valve disease
- Mitral valve regurgitation
- Left ventricular hypertrophy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Marfan syndrome
- Myocarditis
Clinical Cardiology can be defined as the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases. Cardiologists frequently specialize in interventional cardiology, cardiac electrophysiology, echocardiography, or nuclear cardiology. Each of these specialties offers unique techniques when dealing with disorders of the heart.
Cardiovascular Medicine is the most comprehensive provider of cardiovascular services specializing in the prevention, detection, management, and treatment of adult cardiovascular diseases. It is a platform for postgraduate education and scientific work in the fields of cardiology, angiology, hypertension, and cardiac and vascular surgery.