Cardiology is a medical division that deals with heart disease and conditions, ranging from congenital defects to acquired heart diseases such as coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. There are a number of cardiovascular system disorders that are being treated and researched in the field of cardiology. Cardiology includes disorders and conditions like cardiac arrest, pericardium disorders, heart valve disorders, congenital heart defects, and also diseases of the blood vessels like varicose vein, deep vein thrombosis, etc.
Cardiovascular diseases entail all the conditions related to the heart, blood vessels or both, while heart diseases only include conditions exclusive to the heart. Cardiologists are doctors who specialize in cardiology and are responsible for the medical management of multiple heart diseases. Cardiac surgeons are doctors skilled in performing surgical procedures to correct cardiovascular disorders.
Cardiology or cardiac treatment in India has seen great progress in recent years. The top heart hospitals in India are furnished with state-of-the-art infrastructure with a comprehensive team of cardiac surgeons, cardiologists and experts who provide 360-degree patient care and ensure result-oriented outcomes.
The best heart surgeons in India are adept in performing coronary bypass surgery, complex congenital heart surgery, aneurysm surgery, etc. Heart specialist also conducts a wide range of coronary angioplasty and congenital defect correction and electrophysiology research procedures.
Cardiac treatment in India is determined according to the type and stage of the heart disease. While patients will undergo a specific sequenced treatment or procedure based on their personal requirement, some of them commonly performed cardiac procedures are as follows:
Angioplasty, also known as coronary angioplasty and percutaneous coronary intervention, is a minimally invasive non-operative technique for opening blocked coronary arteries which restore blood flow to the core. Angioplasty is usually implemented by permanently placing a small expandable wire mesh tube called a stent to promote the widening of the artery and increasing the likelihood of narrowing again. The cardiologist may prescribe either balloon angioplasty, stenting or rotablation depending on the patient’s requirement.
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgical procedure that enhances the heart’s blood flow. It is used for people with coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as coronary artery disease. If you have blockages in your heart that cannot be handled with angioplasty, CABG may also be an option. CABG is known to be more effective in this situation than other types of treatment.
Heart Valve Replacement is a procedure that replaces one or more valves in the heart with an artificial valve or a bioprosthesis valve. In medical conditions such as heart valvular disorder, this treatment is generally indicated. A single or double valve replacement can also be done depending on the medical requirement of the patient. Traditionally, open-heart surgery was done, however, with newer surgical interventions, minimally invasive heart surgery and robot-assisted heart valve surgery is also done which ensure quicker recovery, smaller incisions, better precision and lesser pain.
Pediatric congenital heart surgery addresses and treats the heart defects that a child is born with. A child with one or more heart defects is said to have congenital heart disease. Many children with complicated congenital heart defects may require multiple catheters or surgical procedures over a period of years or may need to take medicines for years. Surgical intervention is required when the heart defect can be life-threatening to the child. Some of the types of paediatric heart diseases and treatments are Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation, coarctation of the aorta repair, atrial septal defect (ASD) repair, ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair, tetralogy of fallot repair, truncus arteriosus repair, etc.
A pacemaker is a device that helps maintain regular heart beating. It can be a life-changing cure for heart conditions like arrhythmias which include irregular heart beating. Pacemakers may deal with specific issues such as atrial fibrillation. A pacemaker will ensure proper contracting for both the upper chambers. If an arrhythmia is treated by a pacemaker, it is normally permanent. A person may need a temporary pacemaker in response to acute heart injury, such as a heart attack or overdose of a drug.
A heart transplant is a surgical process that involves replacing the diseased heart from the body of the patient and replacing it with a healthy heart obtained from the donor of the deceased organ (the one pronounced dead by the doctors). It is a surgical technique reserved for people who have tried medications or other treatments, but whose symptoms have not improved.