Cardiology

Heart disease defines a variety of conditions affecting different areas of the heart. Heart disease symptoms may be different in men and women.

Each time the heart beats, blood is pumped through the arteries and veins - the blood vessels of your circulatory system. Arterial blood pressure is created by the force exerted by the blood against the artery walls, as they carry blood around your body. Hypertension refers to a persistent elevation of arterial blood pressure. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is when the pressure of the blood being pumped through your arteries is higher than it should be.

The heart has 4 valves which needs to function properly to keep the blood pumped in the right direction. If one or more of these valves malfunction, a heart valve disease is said to have occured.

The heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to the rest of the body. The heart may start pumping faster to compensate for its loss of function. The most common symptoms of congestive heart failure includes shortness of breath, fatigue, chest discomfort, swollen ankles or legs, and reduced ability to exercise.

It is a diagnostic test to determine the functioning of the heart under stress and ability of the heart to withstand it. You will be asked to perform treadmill or cycling during which the physician will perform echocardiogram and measures blood pressure changes. It is mainly done to detect the cause of chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, or fluttering in the chest.

Echocardiography uses sound waves to create images of the heart. The images determine the size of the heart, strength of the heart muscles, presence of heart diseases, and heart valve malfunctions. The images of the heart are displayed on a large screen monitor that helps the doctor and the patient to make a better view during examination.

Computed tomography (CT), also known as CAT, is a painless, sophisticated x-ray procedure. Multiple images are taken during a CT or CAT scan, and a computer compiles them into complete, cross-sectional pictures ("slices") of soft tissue, bone, and blood vessels. A CT scan obtains images of parts of the body that cannot be seen on a standard x-ray. Therefore, these scans often results in earlier diagnosis and promotes successful treatment of many diseases.

The deposition of plaque in the coronary artery wall results in the clogging of the artery and disrupts the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart. This condition often causes heart attack.

Cardiac Imaging refers to a combination of methods that can be used to obtain images related to the structure and function of the heart. Cardiac (heart) imaging procedures include: Echocardiography, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Computed tomography (CT), Coronary CT calcium scan, Positron emission tomography (PET), Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).