The basic building unit of the human body is the cell. Cells come together to form tissues, tissues form organs and organs form Organ systems that regulate various physical and chemical events in the body. All systems in the body work in harmony with each other to maintain vitality and health. The body has 7 systems: digestive, excretory, circulatory, nervous, respiratory, skeletal and reproductive. The skeletal system and muscles form the body's movement system, allowing it to stand and move. The respiratory system ensures that the oxygen needed by the cells is taken in and carbon dioxide is expelled; the digestive system makes the nutrients needed by the body usable and is presented to the circulatory system; the circulatory system transports nutrients and oxygen to the cells and the wastes taken from the cells reach the excretory system; the excretory system removes waste materials from the body; the reproductive system ensures healthy reproduction.
What is Cardiology?
The branch of Medicine that studies diseases related to the heart and circulatory system is called cardiology. A doctor who receives medical education specializes in cardiology and receives the title of cardiologist. People with symptoms such as rapid fatigue, cyanosis, palpitations, fainting, night time urination, edema, shortness of breath and chest pain are treated in the cardiology department.
What diseases does cardiology deal with?
- Heart Failure
- Hypertension
- Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Diseases
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Angina Pectoris
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Aortic Insufficiency
- Aortic Stenosis
- Mitral Insufficiency
- Mitral Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Endocarditis
- Pulmonary Insufficiency
- Pulmonary Stenosis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Acute Myocarditis
- Pericardial Effusion
- Pericardial Tamponade
- Cardiac Tumors
- Primary Tumors
- Peripheral Arterial Diseases
- Cardiac Arrest
- Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Atrial Myxoma
What are the symptoms seen in cardiological diseases?
- Palpitations
- Involuntary weight loss in some heart diseases
- Generally people with arterial disease have angina pectoris or similar other types of chest pain.
- Dyspnea, i.e. breathing difficulties and Nocturia (night time urination), especially due to heart failure
- Hemoptysis, i.e. vomiting blood, which is related with valvular diseases
- Orthopnea relating to worsening breathing difficulty
- Impotence, i.e. erectile dysfunction
- Syncope or fainting; one of the most common cardiological symptoms
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea; The most characteristic symptom of heart failure, i.e. shortness of breath severe enough to wake patients from sleep
Diagnostic methods used in Cardiovascular diseases
Electrocardiography (ECG): A non-invasive diagnostic method, ECG is the recording of electrical activity in the heart. The recorded information provides information about the functions of the heart muscle and its neural conduction system.
Effort Test: Used in the detection and prevalence of coronary artery disease, the effort test evaluates symptoms and determines the severity of the disease.
Holter ECG: A diagnostic method applied in patients requiring ECG recording for more than 24 hours
Chest Radiographs: Which provide important information about the position of the heart and cardiothoracic ratio, are one of the most important diagnostic methods used in heart diseases.
Echocardiography (ECHO) : Used in the diagnosis of heart failure and heart valve defects, ECHO allows the heart structure to be examined through a probe.
CT Coronary Angiography: It is usually used for screening purposes in patients who cannot undergo coronary angiography.