CARDIOLOGY
Detailed Information About Treatment & Symptoms & Criteria
CARDIOLOGY
Cardiology: What is it, What are the Applications and Procedures, Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cardiology?
The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of heart and cardiovascular diseases is called "cardiology". Heart diseases are one of the main health problems in the world and in our country, and they occur in a wide age range from very young to advanced ages.
What does Cardiology Treat?
We can list some diseases diagnosed in our cardiology department as follows:- Coronary Arter Diseases
- Cardiac Insufficiency
- Cardiac dysrhythmia
- Valvular heart diseases
- Aortic vessel diseases
- Peripheral vascular diseases
- Hypertension
- Hyperlipidemia / Dyslipidemia (lipid metabolism diseases)
Coronary artery disease, which is among the most common cardiovascular diseases, develops as a result of occlusion of the coronary arteries, which are the vessels feeding the heart, as a result of atherosclerosis or the accumulation of fatty plaques in the vessels due to high cholesterol. This leads to insufficient oxygen delivery to the heart muscle and to the development of heart failure in the later stages. In addition to the use of drugs in its treatment, coronary angioplasty, stent application, minimally invasive techniques and applications such as robotic surgery and bypass are included.
Heart failure develops as a result of damage to the heart due to cardiovascular diseases or a number of different reasons and its inability to pump the required amount of blood to the body. Congenital or post-developmental structural disorders in the heart, long-term high blood pressure, heart valve related diseases, and damage to the heart muscle caused by a heart attack are among the causes of heart failure. Besides various drug derivatives, the treatment includes the use of pacemakers and support devices, surgical treatment methods and heart transplantation.
Irregular heartbeats or the heart's beat differently than normal is called arrhythmia. This condition manifests itself with negative effects such as the heart beating too fast (tachycardia) or beating too slowly (bradycardia), fainting and palpitations. Arrhythmia patients can be treated with the help of medication, electrical treatments such as catheter ablation or surgical operation techniques specially developed for arrhythmia.
It is characterized by congenital heart valve diseases, stenosis of the heart valves or blood leakage that develops later due to factors such as genetic factors, old age, and severe infection. While people with valve disease sometimes do not feel any symptoms for years, the disease may be seen with symptoms such as constant weakness, palpitations, congestion and fatigue in some people. Clinical and surgical applications such as valve repair or replacement, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI), and transcatheter valve treatment are performed.
Diseases related to the aorta, which is the largest artery in the body, are grouped as aortic diseases. Aortic aneurysm (enlargement), rupture of vascular layers (dissection), vascular occlusion or stenosis in the vessel are the most common aortic diseases. While aortic diseases detected in the initial stages can only be treated taking medications, angiography, stenting and surgical repair treatments may be required in more advanced cases.
Peripheral Vascular Disease (artery) is a disease that develops in the form of blockage of blood flow to the arms, legs and organs due to blockages in the arteries due to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The treatment of this disease, which can occur due to high cholesterol, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, obesity or genetic predisposition, includes the taking of medications and surgical interventions such as bypass, endarterectomy and stenting.
Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases in our country and in the world. In adults, systolic blood pressure should be below 120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure should be below 80 mmHg. If blood pressure is constantly above these values, it is called hypertension, and this condition can lead to the formation of many diseases in the long period. For this reason, blood pressure should be reduced to normal values and kept under control with medical nutrition therapy and medication if necessary.
The excess of cholesterol and other blood lipids in the blood is a risk factor for the formation of many cardiovascular diseases, especially atherosclerosis. High levels of various types of lipids in the blood, hyperlipidemia; it is defined Dyslipidemia as an increase in total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride levels in the blood and low HDL levels, also called good cholesterol. Since both conditions can cause great negative effects on health in the long period, dietary therapy and cholesterol and fat intake should be balanced, and drug treatment should be applied if necessary by the physician.
- Electrocardiography (ECG): ECG is the first method used to diagnose heart disease. The ECG is taken with the help of electrodes that are attached to the patient's chest, arm and leg area.
- Echocardiography (ECHO): ECHO used in the diagnosis of heart failure and disorders of the heart valves, allows the study of the structure of the heart.
- Effort (Stress) Test: The effort test, also known as the effort ECG, shows that the heart rate and workload are increased by making the patient exert effort on the treadmill; This is a procedure in which the reactions of the heart are monitored with serial ECG scanning during loading.
- Stress Echocardiography: Stress echocardiography is a method used to reach the heartbeat when a person is taking medication and exercising. When exercising, it is used to help determine if the heart is receiving enough oxygen and proper blood flow at the time when it needs it most.
- Holter (Blood pressure + rhythm holter, 24, 48 and 72 hours): A wearable device that can monitor the patient's heart rhythm is called a holter. Holter may need to stay in the body for 24, 48, or 72 hours to examine the heart rhythm. Blood pressure holter is used to measure blood pressure at certain periods in a natural environment for 24 hours.
- Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE): In some cases where the commonly used superficial echocardiography method is insufficient, echocardiography may be required through the esophagus. This is also called transesophageal echocardiography.
- CT coronary angiography: CT coronary angiography is a tomographic imaging method using contrast material. It is a method that helps in planning the treatment of many diseases such as anatomical disorders in the heart and coronary stenosis.
- Coronary angiography and balloon-stent procedures: In coronary angiography, the images of the vessels feeding the heart are taken. Since local anesthesia is used during angiography, the patient does not feel any pain or soreness. Depending on the technique of angiography, the patient may need to stay in the hospital for a certain period of time. In cases deemed necessary after angiography, balloon and stent procedures are also performed for therapeutic purposes.