The heart is most certainly the most discussed organ in our bodies, especially for medical reasons. It is a key organ responsible for pumping blood transporting oxygen and nutrients to the body’s numerous tissues and cells. It, like every other organ in the body, works tirelessly to keep us doing what we do. As robust as we believe it is, it is nonetheless vulnerable to a variety of disorders and diseases, and this is exacerbated by how we treat our bodies and what we put into them.
The number of people suffering from heart disease has dramatically risen in recent years, which is partly due to bad lifestyle choices and habits, and in part to other genetic and environmental factors.
The study of the heart, its function, problems, and management has always been a core area of medical science, and with the advent of new technology and improved understanding of many previously unknown facts, the fields of cardiology and its subspecialties, as well as cardiothoracic surgery, have now taken an important place in healthcare more than ever.
Hence, whenever someone has a heart-related health problem that requires treatment, the first thing that comes to mind is “where can I find a decent cardiologist near me?” , or “do you know of an excellent cardiothoracic surgeon close to me?” So, how do these two professionals vary, and what do they accomplish for a patient in terms of heart disease therapy and management?
What exactly are cardiologists, and what do they do?
Cardiologists are clinicians who specialise in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of heart and blood vascular disorders and diseases. In terms of education and training, they would have received comprehensive training for 5 12 years in MBBS, followed by 3 years in MD or DNB General Medicine, followed by another 3 years in DM Cardiology super speciality training. Additional certificates and fellowships may be obtained to gain specific abilities and knowledge in certain operations or treatment approaches. Cardiology doctor as a super speciality encompasses subspecialties such as Critical Care Cardiology, which deals with heart-related emergency medical problems.
Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology is concerned with the management of progressive heart failure as well as the pre and postoperative care following heart transplant surgery. Interventional cardiology is the treatment of cardiac disease using minimally invasive catheter-based techniques. Nuclear cardiology, which uses radioactive materials to diagnose heart disease, paediatric cardiology, which deals with heart problems and diseases in infants and children, and general clinical cardiology, which deals with the early diagnosis and management of problems affecting the heart and its blood vessels.
Cardiologists typically treat a wide range of illnesses with drugs and lifestyle recommendations, but a few specialists from various subspecialties conduct minimally invasive catheter-based operations for the treatment of specific cardiac disorders such as blocked coronary arteries.
Cardiologists commonly treat hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, heart rhythm disorders, congenital heart diseases that do not require surgical correction, and managing medical emergencies such as myocardial infarction or angina in critical care units with or without minimally invasive surgical procedures. When drugs or conservative therapy are no longer effective in treating a heart condition, a referral is made to a cardiothoracic surgeon, who will then perform surgical operations to address and manage the disease and restore normal heart function.
What exactly do cardiothoracic surgeons do?
A cardiothoracic surgeon is a surgeon who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and medical problems that affect the organs of the chest cavity and mediastinum, including the heart and lungs. A cardiothoracic surgeon would have finished five and a half years of MBBS training, three years of MS/DNB General Surgery training, and three years of MCh Cardiothoracic Surgery training. Further fellowships and certifications may be obtained to gain experience and skill in certain treatments or surgeries.
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