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Key Types of Cardiovascular Care

The heart is one of the most important organs in the body, but what happens when the cardiovascular system stops working properly? Heart disease is an extremely prevalent condition in today’s society and seeking out the best care in this area is essential for maintaining good health. There are a few main types of cardiovascular care and each type is specific to a certain area. 

Medical cardiology is where diagnosing and therapy for heart disease takes place. Heart conditions that are generally treated in this area are angina, acute myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure. These conditions can all be serious and life-threatening, making them an important priority for each patient. When the treatment for these conditions does not require surgery, they are grouped into the medical cardiology service line. This line deals with treatment that is not invasive and comprises a fairly large area of cardiac care. 

Invasive cardiology is the area where patients who are generally described in the medical cardiology service line have also had surgery. These surgeries may include a cardiac catheterization, pacemaker insertion, balloon angioplasty, or placement of cardiac stents. This is the next step in cardiac treatment and is a more invasive treatment method than medical cardiology care. A patient may be recommended for these surgeries to correct a heart condition or prevent a heart condition from progressing. A doctor will always discuss treatment options with patients and may recommend one of these procedures. 

Another type of cardiovascular care is open heart surgery. Most people are familiar with this type of procedure and it may include coronary artery bypass surgery or cardiac valve procedures, just to name a few examples. This is the most invasive procedure and generally requires a hospital stay. Open heart surgery may be recommended in many cases depending on the condition and age of a patient. Not all patients may be candidates for open heart surgery, since it does cause strain on the body. 

When deciding where to place a patient, a doctor will use a wide variety of information to make a diagnosis and recommend the care that is needed. The information used may include gender, age, current condition, family history, blood tests, and other information that the doctor obtains. These are all important determinants of each patient’s outcome and how well they will respond to certain treatments. After carefully considering these factors, a doctor will offer several options generally and then make a recommendation. In most cases, patients and their families will decide on the recommendation made by the healthcare professional. 

These are the major types of cardiovascular care available today. They range from minimally invasive to open heart surgery and comprise the major procedures used in treatment and prevention of heart disease today. Anyone interested in learning more about their treatment options may want to read about each procedure recommended in depth before making a decision. Each patient’s case will be recommended for a certain type of treatment based on multiple factors that are considered by a trained cardiologist.