A cardiologist is able to handle different conditions and they include hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart murmurs and even heart attacks. The cardiologist needs to practice preventive medicine, treat heart diseases and also give a diagnosis of the same when there is a need to. The cardiologist may also be required to perform surgical procedures, even though they are limited to the minor ones.
Preventive medicine
Heart problems are usually chronic and they may be around for a very long time. This is why the cardiologist works so hard at the preventive medicine so as to neutralize and eventually reverse progression of disease. The cardiologist has to conduct a physical examination as well as an interview of the patient so as to establish their condition and also predict if there may be issues with the heart. There is also a need to prescribe some form of medication for patients and also give advice on lifestyle so as to ensure the heart health of the patient is sustained and improved.
Diagnostic testing
The main tool that a cardiologist uses is the echocardiogram abbreviated as ECG. This allows the cardiologist to know whether the heart health of the patient is fine or not. It is the role of the cardiologist to interpret the results as seen. He should also interpret other results conducted on the urine and blood of the patient. The stress test is also conducted and then reviewed. Cardiac catheterization tests are also conducted to establish how the heart is functioning.
Electrophysiology
This is a cardiology specialty and it focuses mainly on treating any disorders related to the rhythm of your heart. The cardiologists implant a pacemaker into a patient by doing a surgical procedure that is quite brief. Electrophysiology includes electronic defibrillation, which essentially gives a shock to the heart so as to help it restart it to have a regular heart rhythm.