Kardiológia

Kardiológia (cardiology) is the branch of medicine that studies, prevents, diagnoses, and treats diseases of the heart and circulatory system. It covers risk assessment, acute care for conditions such as heart attack, chronic management of heart diseases, and rehabilitation to improve function and quality of life.

Cardiovascular diseases include coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, valvular disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathies, and congenital heart conditions that persist into adulthood.

Diagnosis relies on clinical evaluation, electrocardiography, echocardiography, stress testing, and imaging such as cardiac MRI or CT. Invasive assessment with coronary angiography and hemodynamic monitoring may be used in selected cases.

Treatment combines medications, devices, and procedures. Pharmacotherapy includes antiplatelets, anticoagulants, lipid- and blood pressure–lowering drugs, and antiarrhythmics. Procedures include percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, valve repair or replacement, and device therapy with pacemakers or defibrillators.

Subspecialties include interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, heart failure and transplant cardiology, imaging, pediatric cardiology, and preventive cardiology. Training typically requires internal medicine residency followed by a cardiology fellowship; certification and requirements vary by country.

Cardiology relies on guidelines developed by national and international bodies and on ongoing research. Common guidelines come from organizations such as the European Society of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, aiming to standardize care and improve outcomes.