Cardiology is a medical discipline that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases and abnormalities, including cardiovascular conditions involving blood vessels. A cardiologist diagnoses, assesses and treats patients with cardiovascular system disorders and supervises all aspects of therapy.

The following symptoms may require a trip to a cardiologist, especially if a person has had a heart attack and heart failure or family history of heart disease or high cholesterol:

Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Chest pains
Changes in heart rate or rhythm
High blood pressure
Common Heart Conditions

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease refers to the buildup of plaque within the walls of the arteries that supply the blood to the heart (called coronary arteries) and other parts of the body. This causes limited blood flow to the heart’s muscle. Coronary artery disease can weaken the heart muscle over time, which may lead to heart failure. This disease begins in childhood, but preventive measures can help delay its progression.

The first sign of coronary artery disease for many people is a heart attack. Other typical warning signs are the following:

Chest pain or discomfort (also called angina)
Shortness of breath
Palpitation
Fatigue
Arrhythmia

An arrhythmia refers to the abnormal rate or rhythm of a person’s heartbeat. When the heart beats too early (premature contraction), too quickly (tachycardia), too slowly (bradycardia) or erratically (fibrillation), it cannot pump blood effectively which may cause internal organs such as the lungs and brain to shut down.

Some arrhythmias are harmless or life-threatening, and if it lasts longer, medical intervention may be required to restore a normal heart rhythm. An arrhythmia occurs when the heart’s natural pacemaker develops an abnormal rate or rhythm. The normal conduction pathway is interrupted, and another part of the heart takes over as a pacemaker. Symptoms include the following:

Fast or slow heartbeat
Skipping beats
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Heart Failure

Heart failure, sometimes called congestive heart failure, is a chronic and progressive condition wherein the heart cannot meet the body’s demand for blood and oxygen. With heart failure, the weakened heart cannot supply the cells with enough blood for the body to function normally. To keep up with the workload, the heart stretches for stronger contraction to pump more blood. This causes the heart to become enlarged and develop more muscle mass, increasing the heart’s output initially. The body will then divert blood away from less important tissues and organs like the kidneys. Eventually, these temporary measures will no longer be enough. Symptoms of a heart failure include the following:

Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen or neck veins
Difficulty in doing everyday activities, such as walking, climbing the stairs or carrying groceries
Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease occurs when the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the outside regions of the body become narrowed or blocked. It affects the arteries in the legs, stomach, arms and head. Like coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease is caused by atherosclerosis, a process that narrows and blocks arteries in critical regions of the body. The most common symptoms of this disease are as follows:

Cramping
Pain or tiredness in the leg or hip muscles while walking or climbing stairs that gets better after rest
Because other health conditions and disorders of the arteries can mimic its symptoms, many people mistake peripheral artery disease for something else, and therefore it can go undiagnosed by healthcare professionals. Having peripheral artery disease increases the risk of developing coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, which could lead to a heart attack or stroke. If left untreated, it can also lead to gangrene and amputation.

Valve Disease

The heart has four valves namely, the tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral and aortic valves. These valves have tissue flaps that make sure blood flows correctly throughout the heart’s four chambers and to the rest of the body. Heart valve disease occurs if one or more of these valves do not function well.

Symptoms differ from one person to another. Some people may display no symptom at all while others experience noticeable symptoms and can develop very quickly if the condition is severe. Some physical signs of heart valve disease may include the following:

Chest pain or palpitations (rapid rhythms or skips)
Shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness or inability to maintain regular activity level
Lightheadedness or fainting
Swollen ankles, feet or abdomen

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