"Andreas Gruentzig is considered the father of interventional cardiology after the development of angioplasty by interventional radiologist Charles Dotter."
Learn about the different interventions and techniques used by cardiologists to treat cardiovascular diseases, including angioplasty, stenting, bypass surgery, and more.
Cardiac anatomy and physiology: Understanding the normal functioning of the heart and its structures is essential to grasp the pathology of cardiac diseases and the interventions used to treat them.
Risk factors and prevention: Knowledge of the risk factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease is necessary to prevent its occurrence. The understanding of preventive measures is also essential to reduce the burden of the disease in the population.
Diagnostic tools and techniques: Advanced cardiac imaging techniques such as echocardiography, CT scan, MRI, angiography, and nuclear imaging are the cornerstone of interventional cardiology. Understanding the indications, methodology, and interpretation of these techniques is crucial to guide treatment decisions.
Coronary artery disease: Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. The understanding of its pathophysiology, diagnostic tools, and management is necessary in interventional cardiology.
Acute coronary syndromes: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are the medical emergencies of cardiology. Knowledge of the management of ACS, including medical treatment, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass surgery, is necessary to save lives and prevent complications.
Heart failure: Heart failure is a growing epidemic worldwide, and its management is a crucial component of interventional cardiology. Understanding the pathophysiology, diagnostic tools, and management of heart failure is necessary to improve the quality of life for patients.
Valvular heart disease: Valvular heart disease is a common cardiac problem, and knowledge of its pathophysiology, diagnostic tools, and interventions is necessary for interventional cardiology.
Arrhythmias: Arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms that can lead to serious complications. The understanding of different types of arrhythmias, diagnosis, management and treatment options is essential in interventional cardiology.
Vascular disease: Vascular diseases are common in interventional cardiology, and knowledge of the pathophysiology, diagnostic tools, and management is necessary.
Ethics and professionalism: Interventional cardiologists need to have knowledge of medical ethics, professionalism, and communication skills as they have significant implications in patient care and treatment efficacy.
Coronary angioplasty: It is a procedure in which a balloon is inserted into a blocked or narrowed artery to clear the blockage and restore normal blood flow.
Stenting: This procedure involves the insertion of a small metal mesh tube into the blocked or narrowed artery, which helps to keep it open and improve blood flow.
Atherectomy: This is a procedure similar to angioplasty, but it involves the use of a small rotating device that removes plaque from the walls of the artery.
Rotational atherectomy: This is a procedure that uses a high-speed rotating device to remove plaque from the walls of the artery.
Thrombectomy: This is a procedure that involves the removal of a blood clot from a blocked artery in the heart.
Embolic protection devices: These devices are used during interventional cardiology procedures to capture any debris that may become dislodged during the procedure and prevent it from causing further damage.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): This is a procedure in which a new heart valve is delivered to the heart through a catheter, rather than through open-heart surgery.
Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC): This is a procedure that uses a device to close off a small pouch in the heart called the left atrial appendage, which is a common site for blood clots to form in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Percutaneous ventricular assist devices (pVADs): These devices are used to support the heart in patients with severe heart failure by providing temporary assistance to the pumping function of the heart.
"Interventional cardiology is a branch of cardiology that deals specifically with the catheter-based treatment of structural heart diseases."
"This most commonly involves the insertion of a sheath into the femoral artery (but, in practice, any large peripheral artery or vein) and cannulating the heart under X-ray visualization (most commonly fluoroscopy)."
"The radial artery may also be used for cannulation."
"...the accessibility of the artery in most patients, the easy control of bleeding even in anticoagulated patients, the enhancement of comfort because patients are capable of sitting up and walking immediately following the procedure, and the near absence of clinically significant sequelae in patients with a normal Allen test."
"...spasm of the artery and pain, inability to use larger catheters needed in some procedures, and more radiation exposure."
"The avoidance of scars and pain, and long post-operative recovery."
"Interventional cardiology procedure of primary angioplasty is now the gold standard of care for an acute myocardial infarction."
"It involves the extraction of clots from occluded coronary arteries and deployment of stents and balloons through a small hole made in a major artery."
"...which has given it the name 'pin-hole surgery' (as opposed to 'key-hole surgery')."
"The development of angioplasty by interventional radiologist Charles Dotter."
"...the accessibility of the artery in most patients, the easy control of bleeding even in anticoagulated patients, the enhancement of comfort because patients are capable of sitting up and walking immediately following the procedure, and the near absence of clinically significant sequelae in patients with a normal Allen test."
"...spasm of the artery and pain, inability to use larger catheters needed in some procedures, and more radiation exposure."
"The avoidance of scars and pain, and long post-operative recovery."
"Interventional cardiology procedure of primary angioplasty is now the gold standard of care for an acute myocardial infarction."
"It involves the extraction of clots from occluded coronary arteries and deployment of stents and balloons through a small hole made in a major artery."
"...which has given it the name 'pin-hole surgery' (as opposed to 'key-hole surgery')."
"The development of angioplasty by interventional radiologist Charles Dotter."
"The avoidance of scars and pain, and long post-operative recovery."
"Interventional cardiology procedure of primary angioplasty is now the gold standard of care for an acute myocardial infarction."