Cardiology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of heart disorders. Specialized cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons perform diagnosis and treatments for adults, and pediatric cardiologistsperform for children. The heart is one of the most amazing organs, it has numerous anatomical features and physiological features. Heart disorders and heart diseases lead to a high number of deaths annually. Early diagnosis is very important to prevent diseases so regular checkups are recommended specially for people over the age of 50. The symptoms depend on the type of heart disease the patient has. General symptoms are:
Atherosclerotic Disease (disease in blood vessels)
- Chest pain
- Short breathiness
- Pain, numbness, weakness, coldness in legs or arms if blood vessels have narrowed
- Pain around the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back area
Heart Arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats)
- Fluttering in the chest
- Tachycardia (fast heartbeat)
- Bradycardia (slow heartbeat)
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Short breathiness
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Fainting or feeling to faint
Heart Defects in children (symptoms usually occur soon after birth)
- Pale grey or blue skin color
- Swelled legs or abdomen, swelling around the eyes
- Short breathiness between feeding
- Swelling in hands, ankles or feet
- Getting tired very soon during an activity
Dilated Cardiomyopathy (weak heart muscles)
- Swelling of legs, ankles and feet
- Fatigue
- Breathlessness with exertion
- Irregular heartbeats
- Dizziness
Heart Infections
There are three types of heart infections
Pericarditis – affects surrounding tissue of the heart
Myocarditis – affects middle muscular layers of the heart walls
Endocarditis – affects inner membrane thatseparates the chamber and valves of the heart
Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Short breathiness
- Weakness
- Swelling in legs or abdomen
- Dry or persistent cough
- Skin rash
- Spots
Valvular Heart Disease
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
- Swollen feet or ankles
- Pain in chest area
- Fainting
Suitable Patients for Cardiology Treatment Procedure
Patients who experience any of the following:
- Heart pain
- Short breathiness
- Fainting