Cardiovascular Medicine
Nature of the work
Cardiovascular Medicine (formerly
Cardiology) is a clinically based specialty, which
encompasses the diagnosis, assessment and management of patients
with cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular Medicine embraces a
very wide range of clinical activities, and enjoys an unrivalled
evidence base of effective preventive and therapeutic options.
Working in Cardiovascular Medicine
Cardiovascular physicians manage patients
with conditions such as heart disease, angina and heart failure,
and undertake invasive cardiological procedures such as
catheterisations and fitting pacemakers. Most consultants divide
their time between inpatient and outpatient clinical duties,
including coronary care, investigation and interventional
procedures. Specialists in this field are generally stereotyped as
the most high profile and practical-skill based of the medical
specialties.
Looking to the future, new imaging modalities
such as magnetic resonance and CT scanning are likely to complement
and challenge the invasive investigations performed in the cardiac
catheter laboratory. The specialty is determined to evolve in a way
which continues to make it attractive to the brightest medical
graduates, irrespective of gender.
Common procedures / interventions
Cardiovascular physicians undertake a
wide variety of procedures and interventions, including:
- Eechocardiography
- Diagnostic cardiac catheterisation
- Cardiac pacing
Further information
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