Cardiology is a specialty in medicine that deals with disorders of the heart. Diagnosis and treatment of a variety of heart conditions are explored in this field including congenital heart defects, heart failure, electrophysiology and coronary heart disease. Whether you are planning to become a cardiologist or just want to learn more about cardiology, it is important to understand the basics of the heart. This includes the parts of the heart, the functions of the heart and the many different conditions that can affect the heart.
Deoxygenated blood from body tissues is sent via the Inferior Vena Cava and the Superior Vena Cava from the upper-body and lower-body to the right side of the heart in the right atrium. The deoxygenated blood that is sent passes through into the right ventricle by way of the tricuspid valve. After the blood is received in the right ventricle, it is pumped via the pulmonary artery at a higher pressure to the lungs from the right ventricle. On the left side of the heart, oxygenated blood is received into the left atrium from the lungs by way of the pulmonary veins. The oxygenated blood is then passed into the left ventricle via the bicuspid valve. Afterwards, the blood is pumped at a higher pressure into the aorta. The reason behind this higher pressure is so that the blood that leaves the heart is effectively delivered through the aorta to other parts of the body via the vascular system.
The heart is made of myocardium tissue, which is a cardiac muscle; the heart is enclosed by a protective connective tissue called the pericardium which is composed of two layers. The inner layer adheres closely to the surface of the heart and is called the serous pericardium. The outer layer protects the heart and anchors it to surrounding organs; this layer is called the fibrous pericardium and is a loosely fitting sac. In between these two layers is the pericardial fluid which reduces friction by acting as a lubricant.
There are four chambers inside of the heart which are divided into a right side and a left side by the inter-ventricular septum. Within the right and the left sides of the heart it is further divided into upper and lower chambers; these are called the ventricles and the atria. The four main chambers of the heart are the right ventricle, left ventricle, right atrium and left atrium. In addition to the chambers of the heart, the heart also has four valves; during systole, these valves help prevent the backflow of blood.
There are a number of conditions that affect the functions of structure of the heart; these are called heart, or cardiovascular, diseases. The most commonly thought-of condition that has to do with the heart is coronary artery disease. This condition is when the arteries that lead to the heart are narrow, which can lead to a heart attack. Other types of heart disease include arrhythmias – or abnormal heart rhythms, heart valve disease, heart failure, congenital heart disease, pericardial disease, heart muscle disease (or cardiomyopathy), vascular disease and aorta disease.
A myocardial infarction is more commonly known as a heart attack and causes heart cells to die by interrupting the blood supply to a portion of the heart. This is usually caused by a coronary artery being blocked after a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque has been ruptured. If the rupture is left untreated for a long period of time, it can lead to heart muscle tissue being deadened or damaged. Symptoms include sudden chest pain that generally radiates to the left side of the neck or left arm, vomiting, nausea, shortness of breath, sweating, anxiety and palpitations.
Cardiac arrest is a condition where the heart does not contract effectively which causes normal blood circulation to cease. It is sometimes referred to as sudden cardiac arrest by medical professionals. Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, but it can be caused by a heart attack. Because of the lack of blood circulation, this prevents oxygen from flowing to the body; this, in turn, causes the brain to lose consciousness. If this goes untreated for more than five minutes, brain injury is highly likely. Immediate treatment is CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. If a shockable rhythm is available, defibrillation should then follow CPR; if it is not available after CPR and other interventions, it is inevitable that clinical death will follow.
There are a number of tips that come in handy when it comes to maintaining a healthy heart. Smoking should not be a habit that is participated in; it is one of the most controllable risk factors in terms of overall health and heart disease. Reduce the amount of weight that is present around your mid-section; the more weight you have around our stomach is a direct reflection of your health. Too much weight around the middle affects blood lipids, increases blood pressure, and damages the heart in other ways.