Sinusitis

Cardiologist. What does this specialist do, what research does he do, what pathologies does he treat? Cardiovascular surgeon Who is a cardiac surgeon and what does he treat?

Cardiology is a broad branch of medicine that studies the structure and functioning of the cardiovascular system.

The cardiovascular system includes organs such as:

The heart is a hollow muscular organ that, through repeated rhythmic contractions, ensures the flow of blood through the blood vessels.
Vessels are tubular elastic formations of various diameters through which blood moves throughout the body - through arteries, arterioles and capillaries from the heart to tissues and organs, through venules and veins from organs and tissues to the heart.

The areas of activity of cardiologists include:

studying the causes and mechanisms of development of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
study of the clinical manifestations of these diseases;
development of effective methods for diagnosing, treating and preventing pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
medical rehabilitation of persons with lesions of the cardiovascular system.

Types of cardiologists

A cardiologist is a generalist who deals with all diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Since pathologies of the cardiovascular system are a fairly broad group of diseases with different origins and clinical presentations, cardiologists master narrower specialties.

A cardiologist, depending on his narrow specialization, may be:

. This specialist diagnoses and treats a variety of heart rhythm disorders.
Cardiac surgeon. This doctor specializes in the surgical treatment of heart pathologies.
. This cardiologist specializes in the surgical treatment of blood vessels (mainly large arteries). An angioneurosurgeon treats aneurysms and malformations of cerebral vessels, and a cardiac angiosurgeon treats pathologies of large vessels of the heart, aorta and coronary arteries.
. This doctor treats pathologies of venous vessels (in most cases these are venous vessels of the extremities).
A phlebologist is a specialist who treats vein diseases surgically.

A pediatric cardiologist deals with diseases of the cardiovascular system in children.

Thanks to the development of medical technologies, a new specialty of cardiologist has emerged - interventional cardiologist. This specialist diagnoses and treats cardiovascular diseases using catheterization through the skin.

Arrhythmologist

An arrhythmologist is a cardiologist who diagnoses, treats and prevents disturbances in the rhythm, frequency and sequence of heart contractions.

Depending on the part of the heart in which disturbances are observed, all arrhythmias are divided into sinus, atrial and ventricular.

Based on heart rate, arrhythmias are divided into:

Tachycardia, in which the heart rate increases above 90 beats per minute. It can be both a pathology and a variant of the norm (physiological tachycardia during exercise, stress, strong emotions).
Bradycardia, in which the heart rate decreases to 50-30 beats per minute as a result of a decrease in the automation of the sinus node (ensures coordination of the work of different parts of the heart).
Paroxysmal rhythm disturbances, which are characterized by the sudden onset of an attack of increased heart rate from 100 beats/min (a sudden end of the attack is also possible). May cause the development of acute circulatory failure.

In addition, the arrhythmologist treats:

Extrasystoles - untimely depolarization and contractions of the heart or its individual chambers. This most common type of arrhythmia is detected in 60-70% of people. Extrasystoles are predominantly functional (neurogenic) in nature, but can also be of organic origin (cardiosclerosis, etc.).
Atrial fibrillation is a disturbance of the normal rhythm of the heart, which is accompanied by chaotic and frequent (300-700 beats/min) excitation and contraction of the atria.

An arrhythmologist treats not only the arrhythmias themselves, but also the pathologies that provoke the development of heart rhythm disturbances. The cause of arrhythmia may be:

Hypertension, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. With high blood pressure, the wall of the left ventricle thickens, which can provoke a change in the nature of the conduction of impulses through the ventricle.
Mitral valve prolapse, which causes dysfunction of the valve between the left atrium and the ventricle.
Heart defect. With congenital abnormalities of the heart, arrhythmias develop more often than in people without such pathology. Some types of arrhythmias are congenital (Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, some forms of supraventricular tachycardia and long QT syndrome).
Coronary heart disease is an absolute or relative disorder of the blood supply to the myocardium, which develops when the coronary arteries are damaged.
Heart failure is a syndrome that causes decompensated dysfunction of the myocardium.
Electrolyte disturbances. Potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium are the basis for the appearance, maintenance and conduction of electrical impulses in the heart. Disturbances in the concentration of electrolytes in the blood and heart cells can cause arrhythmias.
Thyroid diseases and other hormonal disorders. When hormone production is disrupted, the body's metabolism changes and heart contractions become irregular and more frequent or slower.

Angiologist

An angiologist is a cardiologist who treats blood and lymphatic vessels.

This specialist treats:

atherosclerosis;
obliterating type endarteritis;
varicose veins of the lower extremities;
thrombophlebitis;
Raynaud's disease;
phlebothrombosis;
lymphostasis;
systemic vasculitis;
giant cell type arteritis;
bleeding from arteriovenous shunts;
arteriovenous anastomosis;
diabetic microangiopathy and macroangiopathy;
Takayasu arteritis.

Phlebologist

A phlebologist is a cardiologist who treats:

varicose veins;
thrombophlebitis;
phlebitis;
phlebothrombosis;
postthrombotic disorders;
venous insufficiency;
bleeding from varicose veins;
trophic disorders.

Cardiologist surgeon

A cardiologist is a doctor who treats pathologies of the cardiovascular system surgically.

The diseases that this specialist treats include coronary heart disease, developmental defects, etc.

The cardiologist performs:

Bentall operation for aortic aneurysm and aortic insufficiency;
prosthetics and plastic surgery of the aortic valve for aortic defects;
heart transplant, which is performed when it is impossible to eliminate the disease by other methods;
coronary bypass surgery for ischemic heart disease (coronary heart disease), which is performed on a beating heart without stopping it, etc.

Pediatric cardiologist

A pediatric cardiologist is a doctor who identifies, treats and prevents disorders of the heart and blood vessels, as well as connective tissue diseases in children.

This specialist treats:

congenital and acquired heart defects;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
arrhythmias;
pericarditis, endocarditis, myocarditis;
blood pressure disorders;
rheumatic diseases;
arthritis, collagenosis, arthrosis.

You should consult a pediatric cardiologist if:

the baby's nasolabial triangle turns blue after eating;
the baby gets tired quickly when sucking the breast;
the child experiences fainting;
the baby has swelling in the joints;
the child's heart rate exceeds 130 beats/min.

Since heart pathologies in children often develop after infectious diseases, a consultation with a cardiologist is indicated for a child aged 3 to 9 years if:

there is shortness of breath or a feeling of lack of air;
rapid fatigue is observed even with minimal physical activity;
chronic tonsillitis is present;
fainting occurs;
There is a sharp pain in the area of the heart.

Since changes in the body during puberty can trigger the development of heart pathologies, it is necessary to consult a pediatric cardiologist if:

puberty occurs faster than peers;
the child leads a sedentary lifestyle and does not tolerate normal physical activity well;
the child complains of episodic pain in the left arm.

What does a cardiologist treat?

A cardiologist treats:

acquired defects, which include stenosis, defects in the structure and functioning of heart valves, autoimmune heart diseases;
congenital heart defects – aortic stenosis, cardiac septal defects;
hypertension;
coronary heart disease;
heart attack;
angina pectoris;
arrhythmias of any nature;
aneurysms (thinning of the arterial wall);
inflammatory processes of the heart muscles (myocarditis, pericarditis);
heart failure;
atherosclerosis;
thrombophlebitis;
embolism.

When to see a cardiologist

Consultation with a cardiologist is necessary if the patient:

there was a tingling sensation in the heart area;
there is heaviness and discomfort in the left chest area or aching pain is felt that radiates to the left shoulder blade and arm;
there is a sharp sharp pain in the chest area;
there is a rapid or rare heartbeat;
there are interruptions in the functioning of the heart;
shortness of breath occurs during physical activity;
there is swelling of the legs;
there are frequent surges in blood pressure;
there is often a feeling of lack of air;
attacks of headache or dizziness are often observed;
After a slight load, a feeling of fatigue quickly arises.

Consultation stages

Initial consultation with a cardiologist includes:

Studying the patient’s complaints and collecting anamnesis, including family history (the presence of heart diseases in close relatives is clarified).
Measurement of blood pressure and pulse on both arms. Pulse is measured at rest and after squatting or other light physical activity.
Listening to the heart using a phonendoscope.
Measurements of height and weight to calculate the mass index (to check the tendency towards obesity).
Prescribing a number of laboratory tests and additional examinations.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made based on:

general blood test;
general urinalysis;
biochemical blood test - the level of direct and total bilirubin, AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, urea, cholesterol (total and with calculation of the atherogenic index), glucose, etc. is determined;
ECHO-cardiography;
daily blood pressure monitoring;
Holter monitoring (separate monitoring of heart activity);
ventriculography for the diagnosis of myocardiopathy;
markers of autoimmune myocardial destruction;
angiography;
Cardiorisk (a program that assesses the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases for people after 40 years of age).

Treatment

Treatment methods for cardiovascular diseases are selected individually by a cardiologist depending on the diagnosis, severity of the disease and severity of symptoms.

For the treatment of blood vessels the following is used:

drug therapy;
cold treatment;
magnetic therapy;
local barotherapy;
physical therapy course.

For the treatment of heart diseases the following are used:

coronary dilatation;
coronary angiography with cardiac catheterization;
reconstructive operations to eliminate heart defects, valve replacement;
coronary artery bypass grafting;
laser treatment;
implantation of a pacemaker;
operations on large vessels;
balloon angioplasty;
electrophysiological methods;
installation of pacemakers.

Fundamentally new methods of treating diseases of the circulatory system include the use of stem cells, which make it possible to restore the heart and blood vessels at the cellular level.

When treating diseases of the blood vessels, you should adjust your diet under the guidance of a doctor.

Patients with cardiovascular pathologies should get rid of bad habits (smoking, etc.).

The existence of cardiovascular surgery as a branch of medical theory and practice is further proof of how much medical science has expanded and advanced over the last century. Even at the beginning of the 20th century, surgical intervention in the work of the heart and adjacent vessels was considered unacceptable and unjustifiably dangerous. For example, some congenital heart defects in the 80s of the last century were an inoperable pathology with a high mortality rate, and today cardiovascular surgeons with a high level of qualification relieve patients of these problems, giving them a chance for a full life.

A cardiovascular surgeon is a doctor who has received an appropriate higher education, after which he practiced in an internship or residency, and completed specialized courses in cardiovascular surgery. His area of expertise lies at the intersection of cardiology and surgery.

Cardiovascular surgeon, angiosurgeon, cardiac surgeon - what is the difference

To those uninitiated in the particular division of specializations in medicine, at first glance it will seem that all three of these specialists have similar competence and, in fact, are no different from each other. This point of view does not entirely correspond to reality.

For example, in Russia, in the official nomenclature of the names of medical professions there is no term “cardiac surgeon” or “angiosurgeon”. Officially, the branch of medicine dedicated to performing operations on the heart and blood vessels is called cardiovascular surgery, and a doctor with such qualifications is called a cardiovascular surgeon, and it is understood that he thoroughly masters the technique of performing operations on both blood vessels and the heart. In Europe and the USA, cardiovascular surgery belongs to the section of thoracic (thoracic) surgery.

At the same time, the anatomy of the heart and adjacent vessels is very different from the anatomical structure of vessels, for example, in the limbs. Therefore, for the convenience of doctors, in order to train more qualified physicians with a narrow focus, vascular surgery is often separated into a separate sub-branch of specialized medical care. Despite the fact that anesthesia methods and approaches to surgery are often similar or analogous, vascular surgeons (or angiosurgeons) do not perform heart surgery, but rather diagnose and surgically treat diseases of the veins and arteries of the lymphatic system. At the same time, cardiac surgeons specialize in performing heart operations. They often involve a vascular surgeon for such operations.

It should be understood that this division is informal, since officially there is precisely the profession of a cardiovascular surgeon, who must be competent both in the surgical treatment of vascular diseases and in performing heart operations.

What does a cardiovascular surgeon do?

The qualifications of this doctor allow him to diagnose and treat vascular and heart diseases. Often other doctors refer patients to him for examination: therapists, cardiologists, phlebologists. In some cases, the patient himself decides to contact this specialist. One way or another, the doctor first conducts a study of the patient, his symptoms and sensations, finds out the subjective and objective manifestations of the disease that led the person to him for consultation.

After making a diagnosis, a cardiovascular surgeon (usually as part of a committee with other doctors) can give an opinion on the need to prescribe surgery. Together with a group of specialists (anesthesiologist, resuscitator, nurses), he can personally carry out the surgical procedure.

However, the scope of competence of a cardiovascular surgeon does not end there. His responsibility is to monitor the patient’s condition after surgery and prescribe rehabilitation measures (sometimes together with a cardiologist or therapist). Like most operations, operations on blood vessels and the heart require pinpoint precision; they represent significant stress for the human body, so monitoring the patient after such a procedure is an objective necessity.

The doctor can also take part in the development of preventive measures to prevent the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system. His work, jointly with a phlebologist (a doctor specializing in the treatment of blood vessels) and a cardiologist, can be carried out within one medical institution, or cover a more extensive level when it comes to scientific unions, congresses and conferences of cardiologists and surgeons.

Organs and parts of the body that the doctor treats

This surgeon specializes in diseases of the cardiovascular system. He treats diseases and performs operations:

on the heart and adjacent vessels;
on all types of vessels in the body (arteries and arterioles, capillaries, veins and venules, lymphatic vessels).

A network of blood vessels envelops the entire human body; therefore, a cardiovascular surgeon can operate on a person’s torso and limbs in almost any place.

Diseases within the competence of a cardiovascular surgeon

Cardiovascular surgery is a vast field, and in some cases, surgery is the patient's last chance to survive.

The following pathologies and disorders are treated through heart surgery:

angina pectoris;
severe stenosis of the coronary arteries of any origin;
complicated myocardial infarction with arrhythmia, rupture of the interventricular septum, development of acute mitral valve insufficiency, cardiac tamponade (a condition when, due to the accumulation of fluid between the layers of the pericardium, the cavities of the heart are compressed and adequate cardiac contractions become impossible);
sudden cardiac arrest syndrome, cardiogenic shock.

All four of these manifestations are forms of coronary heart disease. Such deviations are most successfully treated surgically, while conservative therapy does not give particularly optimistic prognosis.

In addition, the doctor treats:

pulmonary hypertension;
heart failure grade 1-3;
pulmonary embolism;
valve defects: congenital or consequences of rheumatism, endocarditis, pericarditis, other congenital or acquired defects;
stenosis between the chambers of the heart and in the aorta;
infective endocarditis;
aneurysm of the aorta or left ventricular region;
severe left ventricular failure;
release of fluid or blood into the pericardial area, which may pose a risk of cardiac tamponade.

All these disorders relate to the functioning of the heart and are dealt with by cardiac surgeons. As for vascular diseases that doctors successfully treat, among them:

varicose veins;
diabetic angiopathy;
carotid artery stenosis;
lymphostasis;
obstruction of the patency of the brachiocephalic vessels;
thrombosis and thrombophlebitis;
arteriovenous fistulas;
varicocele;
thromboangiitis obliterans;
Raynaud's syndrome.

What symptoms and situations require mandatory consultation with a specialist?

Patients often come to this specialist on a referral from their attending physician. Surgical intervention makes sense in cases where:

treatment with conservative methods does not produce results;
the patient contacted the doctor in the late stages of the disease;
there is a congenital pathology and its mechanical correction is necessary.

Symptoms that patients usually complain about when visiting a cardiovascular surgeon:

headaches not associated with fever or intoxication due to infectious diseases (usually long-lasting);
the appearance of numbness in the limbs and other parts of the body, constant chilliness of the feet and hands, blueness of the fingers, the appearance of areas of redness with pain;
persistent tinnitus;
sharp deterioration of vision, decreased sharpness, appearance of dots and “spots” before the eyes;
a feeling of heaviness in the legs, their swelling, protruding veins;
spasmodic pain in the limbs when walking;
venous “stars” on the legs;
feeling of pulsation in the abdomen;
sudden and repeated attacks of loss of consciousness, swaying when walking;
frequent hemorrhages.

Diagnostic methods

Determining the final diagnosis of the patient is one of the parts of the specialist’s work. It is on the basis of an accurate diagnosis that the decision on possible and necessary treatment will be made, so any doubts and ambiguities are unacceptable.

Before the doctor begins to develop a treatment regimen or prepare the patient for surgery, he must interview and examine him, find out all the symptoms and sensations that initially caused him to seek medical help. In addition, cardiovascular surgeons usually require patients to bring with them to the consultation the current results of all previous tests, for example:

a detailed blood test with leukocyte formula and platelet count indicators;
coagulograms;
analysis to determine the level of lipoproteins, triglycerides;
urine analysis.

Of course, the information obtained in such ways will help the doctor determine the method of treatment in each specific case, however, most often this is not enough.

To conduct a full examination, the doctor prescribes:

angiography: an x-ray method, before it is carried out, a contrast agent is injected into the vessels using a catheter, which allows one to detect the location of the blood clot and the degree of narrowing in the image;
Ultrasound duplex scanning: a method of obtaining a two-dimensional image to study blood flow and the condition of the vascular wall, the size and patency of blood vessels;
coronary angiography: study of the patency of the coronary arteries;
cerebral angiography to study the blood supply to the brain;
Dopplerography of the carotid arteries;
ultrasound examination of the heart;
electrocardiography.

In some cases, the doctor suggests that the patient do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands to exclude the possibility of hormonal disorders as a probable cause of the disorders that have appeared.

Treatment methods

After carrying out all the necessary examinations, the doctor, often together with other specialists, decides on the need for an operation, or on referring the patient to a competent doctor, if the ailment does not fall within the scope of the surgeon’s qualifications. In some cases, this doctor may prescribe drug therapy, but more as a preparatory or rehabilitation measure. As for therapeutic measures, its scope is precisely carrying out operations.

The following types of surgical interventions have now become quite common:

Stenting of large vessels (angioplasty with installation of a special expanding spring at the site of narrowing of the vessel).
Carrying out balloon angioplasty (a method of dilating blood vessels by introducing a special balloon into the area of narrowing using a catheter, after which the balloon is filled with air, thereby expanding the lumen of the vessel).
Installation of a pacemaker (an operation in which a special device - a pacemaker - is sewn under the pectoral muscle so that its electrodes come into contact with the surface of the heart. The device provides constant monitoring of heart contraction and is connected if they are absent).
Vascular bypass operations (with the help of one’s own veins or prostheses, a bypass path is created around the affected area, through which blood circulation is restored).
Removal of aortic and cardiac aneurysms (an operation during which a thin section of the aneurysm is cut and removed, and the edges are sutured).
Bentall operation (the process uses the method of aortic valve replacement and transfer of the coronary artery ostia).
Various types of correction for congenital vascular and heart defects.
Operation “labyrinth” (destruction of a section of the conduction tract that supports arrhythmia is performed to treat atrial fibrillation).
Pericardiocentesis for cardiac tamponade (an operation during which fluid, blood and effusion from the lining of the heart are sucked out with a thin long needle).
Operations for the treatment of infective endocarditis.

Carrying out a heart transplant is more the responsibility of a transplant surgeon, although such operations are often attended by a cardiovascular surgeon.

The doctor also performs operations on the valvular apparatus of the heart, installation and plastic surgery of valves.

Every year, operations performed by cardiovascular surgeons become more and more complex. This happens, firstly, due to the improvement of practical experience and knowledge accumulated over the years in this area, and secondly, thanks to technical progress. In some cases, there is no need to even open the chest to perform operations, since there are special devices that allow you to operate through an incision. However, in order to be able to work in this way, a doctor must have a very high basic level of qualifications, in addition, constantly improve it, take additional courses and training.

In addition to diagnosis and treatment, the doctor is involved in the rehabilitation of patients after surgery: he monitors their condition, prescribes planned postoperative tests and examinations, procedures, and therapy.

The profession of a surgeon in general, and, in particular, a cardiovascular surgeon, is physically and mentally difficult work. These doctors often have to perform multi-stage and complex surgical interventions, and some operations can last 10-15 hours. The doctor must have an excellent understanding not only of surgery and cardiology, but also of functional diagnostics, pathological anatomy, anesthesiology, and topographic anatomy. Mandatory skills include the ability to interpret the results of examinations - radiography, electrocardiography and others. A doctor must be stress-resistant, resilient, have high precision hand motor skills, excellent vision, an analytical mind, and be able to make quick and balanced decisions in critical situations. Teamwork skills are also very important, because any operation is carried out by a whole team of doctors and nurses.

Of course, any surgical intervention is a complex and potentially dangerous process, but the work of a cardiovascular surgeon in this category is one of the most responsible and intense, since, despite all its advantages, operations on the heart and blood vessels are considered a complex treatment method with an increased risk for the patient.

“Scalpel, scissors...” is a phrase familiar to everyone. The operation is underway. People stand in white coats at the operating table, but only one person is in charge of the entire process. This is a surgeon. Well, the one who works with the heart is a cardiac surgeon. Few people like to go to hospitals and clinics, especially if such a specialist is waiting for an appointment. Of course! After all, a cardiac surgeon works with the most important human organ.

A little history. The basics of surgery became known in Ancient Greece and Rome. But if earlier, back in the 1890s, the famous German doctor Theodor Billroth thought about him like this: “I will not respect the surgeon who touches a person’s heart.”

At that moment, he could not think that a cardiac surgeon, working with the heart, could not only not harm him directly, but also help him feel his best again. Since then, medicine has reached great heights and is now developing quite rapidly. Diseases that were not amenable to surgery in the 1980s can now be successfully operated on. Cardiac surgery and cardiac surgery separately today deal with:

operations on heart valves,
pacemakers are installed
do aortic bypass surgery,
expand the narrowed aorta thanks to a metal frame,
and even successfully transplant a heart.

All this is successfully done today by cardiac surgery. It is also worth noting that coronary surgery, which began in the Soviet Union in the early 1970s, is now a popular method of cardiac surgery throughout the world. The difference between that time and today is great. Until relatively recently, the operation was carried out only on a stopped heart, connected to a heart-lung machine. Nowadays, doctors have proven that this has an extremely unfavorable effect on blood cells and causes some serious complications. But since the late 90s, cardiac surgeons have been trying to work directly on a functioning heart, thereby adjusting to its rhythm. In addition, today in cardiac surgery every year, high-tech technologies are increasingly used. Some of them provide an excellent opportunity to even refuse open-heart surgery, performing manipulations through a vein or artery. A modern controlled robot, which is widely used in cardiac surgery, is also no longer the stuff of science fiction, but today’s technology.

What is a cardiac surgeon?

A cardiac surgeon is a doctor who treats heart diseases surgically. Cardiac surgery in other countries is also called cardiothoracic surgery (from the Greek thorax - chest). Despite the differences in name, this is a field of medicine located at the intersection of surgery and cardiology, quite closely related to vascular surgery. Today, everyone who needs help needs good cardiac surgeons. Today, more than 15 million patients suffer from cardiovascular diseases, and more than half of all deaths occur precisely for these reasons. In addition, for every 1000 babies, there are 8 babies with congenital heart disease.

A heart surgeon is an “instrument” of God on which human life depends. And the heart surgeon himself always remembers this. He knows that he is responsible for a person's life. This doctor is always subject to nervous and physical stress. But this is the only main disadvantage in the profession of a cardiac surgeon. But it pays off with results. If a person who until recently was seriously ill, and after the operation leaves full of strength and vigor, this is the most important merit for the doctor.

What qualities should a cardiac surgeon have?

A penchant for natural sciences.
Good health.
Stress resistance.
Great desire to help people.
Willingness and ability to take justifiable risks.
Excellent coordination of movements.
Dedication.
Sacrifice.
Do not spare time and effort to save the life of another.

In addition to the above character traits, you can also add responsibility and the ability not to give up ahead of time even in the most difficult situations. Physical endurance, the desire to help and work with your hands, sensitive fingers, excellent intellect, a tendency to endless development - these are some more important criteria for a good doctor. In addition to anatomy, physiology and other disciplines, the skills that a cardiac surgeon must undoubtedly have include excellent knowledge of the structure and functioning of the heart and blood vessels, the clinical manifestations and methods of treating cardiovascular diseases. He must be aware of diagnostic techniques, be able to analyze an electrocardiogram, radiography, etc. The profession of a cardiac surgeon obliges him to be able to perform heart operations, which can include both planned and emergency. Perform various manipulations, ranging from surgical treatment of wounds and ending with resuscitation.

In addition to higher education, he must necessarily complete a residency or internship in the specialty “cardiac surgery”. Before a young surgeon is trusted to perform heart surgery for the first time, many years must pass in a medical institution. The knowledge and skills that are necessary for him in the future are obtained slowly. Anyone who once decided to connect his life with cardiac surgery can wait a long time for his time. At the beginning of his journey, this specialist is simply forced, in a certain sense, to fight for the opportunity to even simply be present at the operation, helping to perform the simplest manipulations. A career in cardiac surgery is, in a sense, a risk: one must study for a very long time, hoping that in the future he will become a wonderful cardiac surgeon who will justify his title and, of course, earn the respect of his colleagues and the patients around him. Such a long path and the difficulties encountered along it frighten young specialists. Sometimes, at some point during their training, they change their chosen specialty, realizing the complexity of this area of medicine. And those who go forward, no matter what, become real professionals in their field, in order to literally hold human hearts in their hands every day and make them work correctly, beat again and again.

When should you contact a heart surgeon?

If a person has various forms of coronary artery disease, a thoracic aortic aneurysm, life-threatening arrhythmias, or heart defects, then a cardiologist can refer patients with such ailments to a cardiac surgeon. He resolves questions about coronary artery bypass grafting, stenting or other heart surgery. We all, without exception, need to know exactly when to contact a heart surgeon?

So if you experience:

pain in the heart,
weak pulse
lethargy;

You are overcome by:

sad mood,
irritability,
despondency;

Concerns:

bad dream
rapid heartbeat,
premature aging,
abnormally rapid fatigue, with this common set of signs of heart disease,

you should see a heart surgeon immediately.

Here are a few more symptoms that will remind you that you are starting to have serious heart disease.

If you have hypotension (low blood pressure), then you will experience swelling and paleness in your face.
The bluish-red color of the cheeks symbolizes problems with the mitral valve.
Hypertension can be seen with a red, bumpy nose streaked with blood vessels.
If you have a lack of blood circulation in the heart or respiratory system, then you can see cyanosis not only of the cheeks, but also of the forehead, and in addition, pallor or blueness of the lips will be clearly noticeable on the face.
A strongly protruding curved temporal artery can indicate the approach of a hypertensive crisis.
Impaired sensitivity and numbness of the skin area between the chin and lips may be an indicator of the imminent approach of myocardial infarction.

There are also some signs of circulatory pathologies that require emergency medical attention:

shortness of breath, in which the patient seems unable to take a full breath,
increased pallor or strange red complexion,
weakly felt but frequent pulse,
suddenly “extinguished” look,
slurred speech
the patient does not respond to speech addressed to him,
fainting.

What tests should you take when visiting a cardiac surgeon?

To prepare for a visit to a cardiac surgeon, you must have data from previous examinations and diagnostic tests with you. Before seeking help from a hospital, the patient must undergo appropriate tests. What tests should you take when visiting a cardiac surgeon?

These include:

LDH, LDH 1;
AsT, AlT;
Prothrombin index;
Cholesterol;
Fibrinogen;
Triglycerides;
Alpha lipoprotein cholesterol;
Electrolytes /K, Na, Ca, Cl, Mg/;
Acid-base state.
A coagulogram must also be carried out without fail.

What happens during an appointment with a cardiac surgeon?

The doctor will carefully listen to the complaints of the patient who contacts him, ask about the peculiarities of the course of the disease, and get acquainted with the medical documentation.
Next, he conducts a physical examination and measures blood pressure.
After which he prescribes a preoperative examination, drug treatment, and, if urgently necessary, sets a date for surgery.

What diagnostic methods does a cardiac surgeon use?

These include well-known ones, such as:

phonocardiography,
electrocardiography,
angiocardiography,
probing of the heart cavities,
echo Dopplerography,
myocardial scintigraphy at rest and during physical activity/single-photon computed tomographic myocardial scintigraphy with thallium,
electro-physiological study,
coronary angiography,
balloon angioplasty and stenting,
transesophageal echocardiography,
chest x-ray,
computed tomography,
scintigraphy of the myocardium, kidneys, lungs,
Holter monitoring ECG,
stress-ECHO-KG,
multislice computed tomography (MSCT).

In addition, a cardiologist may prescribe magnetic resonance (MR) angiography of the coronary arteries and electrophysiological examination.

Are these diagnostic methods used by a cardiac surgeon? If necessary, consultations with relevant specialists may be required. The importance of certain examinations in each individual case is determined by a specialist.

What diseases does a heart surgeon treat?

The peculiarities of his profession are to help people investigate heart diseases, cure congenital and acquired heart defects, large vessels, and arrhythmias. His competence includes the treatment of ischemic disease and its complications. A cardiac surgeon solves the problems of heart transplantation and develops an artificial heart. This specialist is required if traditional conservative methods do not help the diseased heart, and if they help, it is not enough.

Coronary heart disease is an example of this. It occurs when there are disturbances in the movement of blood in the coronary vessels. The heart muscle does not have enough oxygen, resulting in repeated attacks of angina pectoris over a certain period of time, which can subsequently lead to myocardial infarction. To avoid this, it is necessary to resort to the most effective method of treating coronary artery disease - surgery. This is exactly the specialist who will take direct part in it.

If you are wondering what diseases does a heart surgeon treat? This will be discussed below.

So, this doctor studies:

heart arrhythmia,
arterial hypertension,
arterial hypotension,
vegetative-vascular dystonia,
myocardial infarction,
coronary heart disease,
cardialgia,
cardiomyopathy,
cardiosclerosis,
collapse,
stroke,
pulmonary heart,
myocardial dystrophy,
neurocirculatory dystonia,
cardiac asthma,
heart failure,
vascular crises,
angina pectoris
endocarditis.

A cardiac surgeon treats coronary atherosclerosis and vascular atherosclerosis. Pulmonary edema, pericarditis, hypertensive crisis are also his strong point.

What does a cardiac surgeon do?

Heart surgery is a complex and rather risky treatment method. But a heart surgeon can do it! The main thing is that he must be not only a highly qualified surgeon, but also an excellent analyst who knows how to weigh the pros and cons before approaching the operation. He needs to be aware of parallel medical specialties, such as: anesthesiology, functional diagnostics, topographic anatomy, etc.

Heart surgeries can last from 6 to 12 hours. A whole team helps him with this! 4 or more doctors take an important part in saving a person’s life. All employees must be very resilient and be able to work in a team. Therefore, most cardiac surgeons are men.

A cardiac surgeon performs surgical treatment of diseases of the heart and its blood vessels in cases where drug treatment does not produce effective results. In addition, the doctor carries out the necessary studies and manipulations in order to clarify the diagnosis and the scope of the upcoming surgical intervention. This doctor, we repeat once again, is obliged to perform operations during which he gets rid of congenital or acquired heart defects, performs coronary artery bypass surgery, inserts a pacemaker into the chest, etc. A cardiac surgeon, in addition to the above, studies the structure, function, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, studies the causes of their occurrence, mechanisms of development, clinical manifestations, and makes a final diagnosis. Also, he selects appropriate treatment methods, offers the patient one or another prevention, and deals with the issues of medical rehabilitation of patients with lesions of the cardiovascular system.

Vessels are a vital system of the human body. In order for a person to always feel good, it is necessary that the blood vessels be healthy. Of course, it is difficult to keep them in their original form, especially living in a big city. Therefore, to keep your blood vessels healthy, you will need the wise advice of a heart surgeon.

To keep your blood vessels clean and strong, you need to breathe as much fresh air as possible. To do this, it is best to go out into nature and stay in places where it is smoky as little as possible. If you yourself smoke, quit this bad habit as soon as possible so as not to shorten your life ahead of time. According to scientists who conducted studies with an audience of thousands, they found that people who smoke have a 25-30% risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. The reason for this is atherosclerosis.
Eat right. It is important to regularly add bran to your food. It’s especially tasty to add them to yoghurts, but real ones, without preservatives. But it is best to prepare the latter yourself based on natural ingredients. Bran binds fats that the body does not need, thereby reducing cholesterol in the blood, which is dangerous specifically for blood vessels.

Do you know what doctors themselves do to protect their health? When the famous Leo Bokeria was asked how to protect his heart from disease, he said that the main thing is not to get too carried away with food and not to overeat. At the same time, he gave one more important piece of advice: “Under no circumstances should you overload yourself with complex sports activities. You can resort to sports games or gymnastics: “Try to stand for a couple of minutes with your arm raised or on one leg. The loads should be significant, and the result should be the same as when running.” He himself admitted that he did this gymnastics even during operations that usually lasted for hours.

There are 3 “don’ts” without which you cannot keep your heart healthy and strong! Don't overeat, don't overdrink, don't sit still! The initial form of hypertension can be successfully treated with physical activity, such as walking.
You should eat more raw vegetables. Eat plenty of garlic. It is useful to eat a clove of garlic in the morning on an empty stomach, chewing it slowly in the mouth. Of course, this procedure is not pleasant, but it is very necessary for our blood vessels. If you have a weak stomach, then the dose of garlic should be very small. It is best to consult a doctor.
In the morning and before bed you need to eat 1 teaspoon of honey. You can dilute it in a glass of warm water. You can add a little lemon juice to it.
Again, physical education, first of all. In this case, blood circulation will improve and capillaries, into which blood previously flowed with difficulty, will expand. A large amount of oxygen will flow to the organs and brain. A contrast shower also has a good effect on blood vessels.
Do not overuse strong tea or coffee. These drinks settle on the walls of blood vessels.
And lastly, the key to excellent health at any time is a good mood and optimism!

Important to know!

In medicine, all professions are important and irreplaceable. For every disease there is a doctor who makes the necessary diagnoses and methods of treatment. In this article we will talk about a cardiorheumatologist, a professional who knows everything about the most important organ of the human body, called the heart.

Cardiac surgery is considered a highly specialized profession. A patient is referred to this specialist if a serious heart disease is detected that cannot be neutralized by an alternative route.

In this case, an alternative method is treatment with pharmacological agents, auxiliary methods such as folk recipes, herbal medicine and other aspects of the competence of a naturotherapist.

The responsibilities of this doctor include knowledge not only of the structure and functionality of the cardiovascular system, but also the ability to understand all the intricacies of concomitant diseases.

Moreover, this is not only the ability to recognize the symptoms of even an incipient disease, but also the search for the root cause of damage with subsequent research into the mechanism of spread. Also on his shoulders lies the responsibility to order a clinical examination, study its results and, if necessary, add other diagnostic procedures closely related to the diseased organ.

Surgery is almost always the only way out for healing a patient who has been sent to the cardiac surgery department.

Treatment of heart and aortic diseases

It is believed that surgery is still the most effective treatment option for coronary artery disease, which guarantees the prevention of myocardial infarction.

A distinctive feature of this narrow branch of medicine is considered to be rapid development - literally by leaps and bounds. This is facilitated not only by modern types of equipment, but also by broader views on the causes and consequences of heart disease.

Today, more and more often young people completing their studies at medical universities choose this particular direction. They are attracted by the salary and broad prospects, because a competent expert in his field can not only work in the operating room, but also develop new methods for saving the lives of patients with heart defects.

Due to the specific nature of the activity, each such doctor must have extensive knowledge in related medical sciences. This means that it is not enough for him to understand only the cardiac nuances and be a good analyst capable of calculating the risks of a possible operation.

He should also be an ace in:

functional diagnostics;
anesthesiology;
topographic anatomy.

If you look at all the famous names of professionals in this field, most of them will include men. It is believed that they are more durable, because in some cases doctors have to perform operations for about ten hours. At this time, several teams replace each other, but the main leader will still keep his finger on the pulse in order to control the overall result.

The main practical part of his work is based on getting rid of congenital or acquired heart defects, for which he uses coronary artery bypass grafting or any other justified technique. In recent years, pacemakers that are installed in the chest have become especially in demand.

After successful completion of the surgical part, the patient will have a long recovery period. Even after being discharged from the inpatient department of the hospital, he will have to make many more appointments with his doctor. This is necessary to obtain recommendations regarding reducing the risk of relapse. An experienced expert will also recommend a set of preventive measures that should be followed.

Competence of a cardiac surgeon

Usually, a person is referred to a cardiac surgeon when an ordinary cardiologist has lost hope of helping the patient with medications or some other relatively safe measures. In this situation, there is an urgent need to treat the victim surgically in a short time.

But even after receiving an appointment with a cardiac surgeon, this does not always mean that the patient will undergo surgery.

First, the doctor will have to carefully examine your medical history and also request many additional tests. In very rare cases, a professional may even advise leaving everything as is, since the risks of death for the patient are several times greater than the chances of successful treatment. Sometimes there is not even a minimum percentage of success, which is typical for advanced stages of the disease.

The pediatric cardiac surgeon deserves special attention. He often has to work even with babies. Babies may have a congenital heart defect. This depends on the heredity of the parents, as well as their bad habits, which adversely affected the baby during the mother’s pregnancy.

Numerous experiments have proven that smoking, alcohol abuse and other harmful habits such as poor nutrition of parents are the basis for heart problems in the heirs. Moreover, this also applies to fathers, and not just mothers, since the same smoking fathers will transmit distorted information through genes. It is not for nothing that a cardiological consultation always begins with a small questionnaire regarding the presence of addictions and possible genetic predisposition.

When to make an appointment

Typically, the professor will accept the patient only after he first visits the general practitioner and receives a referral from him to a regular cardiologist at the clinic. The latter, not seeing any opportunity to help the victim, will send him further - to his colleague with operational methods of intervention.

You should sound the alarm after detecting at least several of the following signs:

pain in the sternum;
weakly palpable, but increased pulse;
shortness of breath even with minor physical exertion;
constant lethargy, which is sometimes replaced by irritability or sadness;
unstable heartbeats;
premature aging ahead of biological age;
rapid fatigue even for no apparent reason.

It is worth highlighting separately the problems that plague a person with constant low blood pressure. This disease is called hypotension and is characterized by two characteristic signs: pale skin and facial swelling.

But if the applicant has a pronounced red-blue tint of the skin on the cheeks, then this indicates a functional deviation of the mitral valve.

There are also typical symptoms of regularly high blood pressure. Such victims have a bumpy nose, which almost always retains a reddish color. Also, veins are clearly visible on the nose, which are slightly protruding blood vessels.

Another common reason for referrals is non-cyclical blood circulation. People who have been diagnosed with this deviation have cyanosis not only in the cheek area. A bluish color appears on the forehead and even on the lips.

This is also confirmed by the reviews of the patients themselves, who complained of an unpleasant complexion and during the examination they were given a similar verdict.

Experts also warn that if a person’s ornate temporal arteries protrude too much, this indicates a rapid increase in pressure. It is a prerequisite for a hypertensive crisis. If this sign is detected, it is necessary to immediately transport the victim to the nearest cardiac surgery department.

Another important point that should be remembered by all those who have “cores” in their family is the numbness of the part of the skin between the chin and lower lip. As soon as this is noticed, you must immediately contact an ambulance, or directly with cardiac surgery. This sign is a warning sign of an impending heart attack.

Separately, experts compiled a list of symptoms, the detection of which requires the patient or those around him to be urgently hospitalized in the cardiac surgery department. This:

shortness of breath of variable action, when the patient cannot take a full breath;
severe pallor or unnatural redness of the face;
rapid pulse, which is difficult to palpate;
slurred speech;
blurred vision;
lack of reaction to the speech of others;
fainting.

Usually, after providing emergency care, ambulance doctors immediately take such patients to the hospital, where an operating table is already prepared for them and the best available cardiac surgeon is called in to take over.

How does the reception work?

Most ordinary people come to the cardiology office with an impressive medical history, tests taken and a referral from the attending physician. But this is always not enough to build an accurate clinical picture that a cardiac surgeon must establish.

During the first appointment, an initial examination is usually carried out, a review of the medical history, and listening to accumulated complaints.

Based on the latest information received, the expert will prescribe repeated standard tests if necessary, or limit himself to specialized tests.

Only after collecting all the data will a verdict be made regarding the need for surgery. Sometimes the experience of a practicing expert is much higher than that of an ordinary cardiologist and he will be able to suggest some rare but quite effective alternative treatment.

The initial examination includes:

palpation;
auscultation of the lungs and heart;
chest percussion;
heart rate and blood pressure measurements.

Based on the results obtained, other methods are added to the diagnosis. Most often, they begin with a clinical analysis of blood and urine, and almost always this is not just a general blood test, but a detailed biochemical one.

This is followed by a test for HIV and other similar infectious diseases. A coagulogram, ECG and ultrasound of the heart are also a mandatory part of the plan. An X-ray of the lungs, as well as an ultrasound of some other internal organs, lower extremities and cervical vessels, cannot be avoided. If necessary, fibrogastroscopy is prescribed.

Diagnostic measures carried out by private clinics or large medical centers are considered separately. Such centers charge a certain fee for the use of their equipment, which is typical for transesophageal echocardiography or myocardial scintigraphy.

In the first case, a special esophageal sensor is used, and in the second, a special substance is used. Its composition includes radioactive isotopes, allowing the gamma camera to take an accurate picture and identify problem areas.

Difficult procedures include catheterization, coronary angiography, and cardiac muscle mapping.

If surgical intervention is unavoidable, then the doctor prefers not to delay it for too long. The patient will first be sent to other specialized specialists to check whether there are any risks from other organs that will be damaged during the operation. Having set a date for the procedure, the patient will be given a list of preparatory medications to take before the operation, and after discharge they will be given recommendations for preventing relapse.