Cardiology is the branch of medicine that deals with various heart conditions. It provides insights and treatment for people suffering from various cardiovascular ailments. Cardiologists (doctors specializing in cardiology) primarily use two categories of procedures for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of heart conditions: invasive and non-invasive. This write-up explains what non-invasive cardiology is.
About Non-Invasive Cardiology
Non-invasive cardiology diagnoses and treats heart disorders without any surgical intervention. It involves the use of non-invasive tests and techniques to confirm the occurrence of cardiac abnormalities. As expected, this branch of cardiology helps patients with serious cardiac conditions receive an accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment with minimal pain and discomfort.
Non-Invasive Cardiac Procedures
Electrocardiogram:The common term used for the procedure is ECG or EKG.It is a simple test and is pain-free. Thus, it is safe for people of all ages, including newborns and the elderly.
ECG uses electrodes to record the heart’s electrical activity and convert it into waveforms. Doctors tend to prescribe the testto understand the heart’s condition when the patient experiences cardiac symptoms for the first time. Additionally, they also useECGto assess the efficacy of ongoing treatments and surgery.
Echocardiogram: This imaging test allows doctors to see the condition of the cardiac wall, valves, and chambers non-invasively. The process uses sound waves to create real-time images of the heart as it goes about its regular function.
Doctors can prescribe an echocardiogram for different purposes. It helps them find out the extent of damage heart diseases like cardiomyopathy, valvular abnormality, coronary artery disease, and congenital heart diseases have caused.
Stress Test: This test reveals how well your heart performs under pressure. Cardiologists use stress tests to determine the stage of coronary artery disease. It helps them identify irregularities in cardiac rhythm.
Like an ECG, a stress test also uses electrodes. The patient’s body is put under stress artificially. For instance, the doctor may ask him/her to run on a treadmill or pedal anexercise bike. The electrodes on the patient’s body record the heart’s activity as he/she walks/pedals. A medical practitioner monitors the entire process. He or she increases the pace of the machines gradually to see how well your heart works under pressure.
For patients who cannot exercise, doctors typically use medications that increase their blood pressure and heart rate.
Holter Test:Doctors use this non-invasive test to record the heart’s activity over a longer period, usually 24 to 48 hours. The Holter test is done using a wearable called a Holter monitor. The test is mostly used to diagnose symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, dizziness, palpitations, etc. It is also common for medical practitioners to recommend the test to determine whether the pacemaker is working perfectly.
What Are the Advantages of Non-Invasive Cardiology?
Minimum Complications: When compared to invasive cardiac procedures, the risk of complications is much less in non-invasive procedures. The recovery time for all the above tests is almost zero. This means if the patients are not physically unfit or don’t have any severe cardiac symptoms, they can go about their daily routine even after undergoing the tests.
Enables Early Diagnosis: Surgical procedures often involve a lot of planning as doctors need to consider various risk factors before recommending a surgery. Many patients fear the idea of going under the knife, which keeps delaying diagnosis and treatment. Such things don’t happen when it’s a non-invasive process.
Cost-Effectiveness: Non-invasive cardiology is cost-effective. The procedures are less expensive, and there are also no additional expenses required for recovery.
Why Should Non-Invasive Cardiologists Collaborate with Invasive Cardiologists?
There are significant differences between the application of non-invasive and invasive cardiology. However, doctors practicing in these branches of medicine need to collaborate with each other to create the best possible treatment plans for patients. When non-invasive procedures detect major abnormalities in the heart, doctors often need to use minimally invasive or invasive procedures for proper diagnosis and treatment. For instance, a Holter test often leads to angiography and angioplasty.
The brains running Magnet Health NY know that a healthy heart is the biggest treasure an individual can have. They have the best cardiologists in Bronx, New York on their panel. You can rely on them both for preventive and curative cardiac care.