Cardiology: The Heros Behind Every Heartbeat

By: Dhyan Patel

Cardiology

Note: This article is part of a student-run educational series on medical specialties, based on research and/or shadowing (in person or virtual), in order to educate other students who are interested in healthcare careers and may lack the ability to shadow specialists in their areas.

Background

Every hour, every minute, and every second of someone's life, their heart is what keeps them alive. By pumping blood, delivering oxygen, and performing various other functions, our heart ensures that our organs function properly. Although we realize the importance of our hearts, we rarely stop and think about what keeps the rhythm of our heart going. This is where cardiologists come in. Cardiologists are experts who diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. In the modern day, heart disease remains as one of the leading causes of death. This helps show the significance of cardiology as it isn’t just a medical specialty, but it’s a job that saves lives one heartbeat at a time.

So, what do they do?

Cardiologists don’t only specialize in everything related to the heart, but instead they specialize with the whole circulatory system. They deal with patients who may complain about chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, or even high heart pressure. By using various tools such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), echocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations, and other methods, cardiologists can identify problems and design treatment plans for patients in order to help the heart function properly again.


Some cardiologists focus on noninvasive care where they manage patients through medications, diet changes, and exercise recommendations. There are also cardiologists who perform interventional care by performing procedures such as angioplasties and stent placements in order to open up clogged arteries. There are also electrophysiologists who specialize in correcting irregular heart rhythms. Finally, there are pediatric cardiologists who treat heart conditions in children. Although there are many types of cardiologists, they all play a critical role in maintaining good cardiovascular health across ages and various situations.

Additional Information

Cardiology utilizes the combination of biology and chemistry in order to make one of the most important parts of medical care. With the human heart beating about 100,000 times each day, any disruption to that rhythm can cause serious issues. However, cardiologists must also understand how the heart interacts with the rest of the body which can include areas from the brain to the smallest blood vessels in order to save lives.


Heart diseases can come from many causes such as genetics, diet, stress, lack of exercise, or other medical conditions. As a result, cardiologists use the expertise that they've developed in order to identify these factors from early on and guide their patients towards a healthier life. 

Required education and training

Similar to other medical professions, a cardiologist must graduate and get their bachelor's degree often in a science related major. After that they must go through four years of medical school. Then finally they have to go through a three-year residency in internal medicine, which is then followed by a fellowship in cardiology that typically lasts another three to four years.

Importance

Cardiology is one of the most important and impactful careers in the medical field. Through prevention and early diagnosis of diseases and other problems, cardiologists have improved life expectancy and saved millions of lives. Centuries ago, a heart attack was often fatal, however, in the modern world, thanks to new research and technology, patients can recover and live their lives like they previously would.


Although the heart is small, the role it has and its impact for the rest of the body is significant. Cardiologists are the people who protect this small organ in order to keep their patients alive.

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2021, November 3). What Is a Cardiologist? What They Do & When To See One. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21983-cardiologist

Medschoolcoach. (2021, March 5). Cardiology with Dr. Ali Haider - Virtual Pre-Med Education by MedSchoolCoach. Virtual Pre-Med Education by MedSchoolCoach. https://shadowing.medschoolcoach.com/lessons/cardiology-with-dr-ali-haider/

MUDr. Andreas Zehetner. (2024, August 5). What does a cardiologist do? Tasks and activities at a glance. Futuredoctor - Studying Medicine Abroad. https://www.future-doctor.de/en/what-does-a-cardiologist-do/

New York Cardiac Research Center. (2013, July 20). Tools and Equipment Used by a cardiologist. New York Cardiac Diagnostic Center. https://precautionsofcardiacdisease.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/tools-and-equipment-used-by-a-cardiologist/

Torres, D. C. (2022). What is a Cardiologist? Insights into Cardiology as a Medical subspecialty. Umhs-Sk.org. https://www.umhs-sk.org/blog/what-is-a-cardiologist

Verma, S. (2022, July 19). What Diseases Do Cardiologists Treat or Help You Prevent? - Hudson MD Group. Hudson MD Group. https://www.hudsonmdgroup.com/2022/07/19/what-diseases-do-cardiologists-treat-or-help-you-prevent/

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