What do interventional cardiologists do
In this section. Alcohol septal ablation. Atrial septal defect closure. Balloon aortic valvuplasty. Balloon mitral valvuplasty. Carotid angioplasty and stenting. Coronary angioplasty and stenting percutaneous coronary intervention. Left atrial appendage. Patent foramen ovale closure. Doctors then repair your valve so your blood can start flowing properly again using these devices. A tiny balloon is inserted and inflated into your blocked artery during this procedure to create space.
The plaque is compressed by the balloon against your artery wall to improve your blood flow. The doctor then takes the balloon out of your body after the procedure is completed. These are only some of a number of different procedures performed within the interventional cardiology discipline.
The excellence, quality care and positive results of these procedures are respected and well-known in the medical community. Clinical trials are conducted often in order to learn about new devices and techniques in catheter-based interventions to restore good heart health.
Types of Interventional Cardiology Procedures There are several main interventional cardiology procedures, including the following: Angioplasty and Stenting A slender, long tube is inserted into your wrist or leg through a blood vessel and guided to your heart or other areas in your body. Atherectomy Cardiologists place a burr or rotary shaver at the tip of a catheter and guide it to the area that is affected to get rid of plaque that is built-up in the walls of your artery.
Embolic Protection Occasionally, if the narrowing that is being treated is in your carotid arteries or in a bypass graft, the doctor will use specialized devices such as filters to prevent the plaque from breaking off and traveling in your blood causing damage. Sharma, MD. Wiener Professor of Medicine. General cardiologists specialize in the diagnosis and care of patients with conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and elevated risk of heart attack or stroke.
Interventional cardiologists are cardiology subspecialists who are trained to place stents in clogged arteries to allow blood to flow properly and reduce risk of stroke or heart attack, as well as to repair holes in the heart or place special devices in the heart to help it function properly. Using cutting-edge technology and the newest techniques and complex advancements in this field of medicine — such as cardiac catheterization, transcatheter aortic valve replacement TAVR , and mitral valve replacement and repairs — interventional cardiologists perform delicate life-saving and life-enhancing procedures to treat patients with heart disease, valve defects, or structural abnormalities.
Neither general cardiologists nor interventional cardiologists perform surgery. Generally, interventional cardiologists are required to successfully complete a total of six years of post-medical school training in internal medicine and a general cardiology fellowship, followed by two to three additional years of training in interventional cardiology, for a total of eight to nine years of postgraduate training — similar to the most advanced surgical subspecialties in medicine.
Interventional cardiology treats the cardiovascular system, which includes the four chambers of the heart, the heart valves, and the arteries, including the coronary arteries. Interventional cardiologists perform many types of tests and procedures on people of all ages. Continuing advances in interventional cardiology mean that state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic care is available to even the most fragile, at-risk patients.
Interventional cardiologists often order imaging studies to get a detailed look at the structure and function of the heart and cardiovascular system. This helps them to evaluate, diagnose, monitor, and manage heart and vascular concerns. Interventional cardiologists perform a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including:.
Advances like these underscore the importance of staying up to date on the latest news in interventional cardiology.
The American Heart Association is a reputable source for current information, and sites like MedPage Today share links to related news articles from a variety of sources. Patients often have questions and concerns about cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiac procedures. Common questions include:.
Q: Who should be on your healthcare team along with an interventional cardiologist? A: Someone seeing an interventional cardiologist typically also has a general cardiologist and primary care doctor. Q: Are there lifestyle adjustments people can make to improve their cardiovascular health? A: Yes, diet and exercise are both very important to improving cardiovascular health.
We recommend a heart-healthy diet, which is very low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium and rich in fresh vegetables and fruits. It incorporates more high-fiber items like beans, lentils, and whole-grain bread and focuses more on leaner sources of protein like chicken, turkey, and heart-healthy fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel.
The goal of a heart-healthy diet is to decrease the risk of heart disease by lowering blood-cholesterol levels, improving blood pressure, and often, losing weight. We also recommend exercising, but that depends on the patient; everyone should consider speaking with their physician before starting an exercise program.
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