Reasons to See a Cardiac Surgeon – A doctor who specialises in surgical procedures for the heart, lungs and other organs in the chest is a cardiothoracic surgeon. Their training involves Cardiac surgery, lung surgery, pediatric heart surgery and vascular surgery.
Cardiothoracic surgeons will graduate from medical school and continue to either complete a 3-year residency for general surgery followed by a 3-year residency program for cardiothoracic surgery or enter a 6-year residency for integrated cardiothoracic surgery.
What do the cardiothoracic surgeons treat?
Cardiothoracic surgeons treat adult cardiac problems like coronary artery disease requiring bypass heart surgery, replacement or repair of heart valves e.g. mitral or aortic valve. They also treat pediatric heart problems like ASD, VSD, TOF, PDA, TAPVC, Ebstein and Truchus arteriosus. Lung disorders requiring lobectomy, pneumonectomy, thymectomy etc are also treated by CTVS surgeons.
Cardiac surgery involves both open and minimal invasive heart surgery options.
Before accepting for surgical procedure, he
- Evaluates the medical history of a patient and educates the patient on his or her condition, including surgical and aftercare treatment.
- Conducts a physical test including an examination of blood pressure and vital signs, weight, and heart, lung, and blood vessel health
- Orders and interprets samples for laboratory and imaging and prescribes medicines
- Acute and chronic diseases and disorders that affect the heart and large blood vessels are diagnosed.
- Diagnostic processes such as EKG, echocardiogram, and cardiac catheterization are ordered and assessed depending upon primary diagnosis.
- To ensure quality care, work closely with your primary care doctor, cardiologist, pulmonologist, and other specialists.
The thorough training of a Cardiac surgeon requires surgery on all the organs and structures inside the chest cavity. However, because cardio thoracic surgery is so comprehensive and complex, surgeons prefer to concentrate on either the heart and blood vessels (cardiac or cardiovascular surgery) or the lungs and other chest structures (thoracic surgery). Cardiothoracic surgeons can also be called both cardiac surgeons and thoracic surgeons.
Also See: Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Symptoms of heart attack
Heart disease signs and symptoms include:
- Discomfort, heaviness, tightness, pulling, or pain in or below your breastbone in your chest or arm
- The discomfort that goes to your back, your jaw, your throat, or your arm
- The sense of fullness, indigestion, or choking (it may feel like heartburn)
- Sweating, abdominal pain, vomiting, or dizziness
- Extreme fatigue, depression, exhaustion, or shortness of breath
- Heartbeat fast or uneven
Symptoms may vary from individual to individual or from one heart attack to another. Symptoms such as a disturbed stomach, shortness of breath, or back or jaw pain are more likely for women.
How is a cardiologist different?
A cardiologist can diagnose and treat cardiac problems mainly with medication. Cardiologists also perform heart artery procedures that operate through puncture wounds in the groin or hand, but do not perform open surgery.
Cardiologists mainly do stenting (k/a angioplasty) for coronary artery disease, they also perform device closure for ASD, VSD or PDA with pacemaker implantation for complete heart blocks.
When to see a cardiothoracic surgeon?
If you have a heart or blood vessel disease, disorder or condition that needs surgery, including chest injuries, heart defects, and advanced types of heart disease that do not respond to less invasive forms of treatment, your doctor can refer you to a cardiac surgeon for consultation or surgery.
Your primary care doctor will most likely refer you to a thoracic surgeon for surgical treatment if you have such conditions as lung cancer or disorders affecting any of the other organs or structures inside the chest cavity.
7 signs to see a cardiac surgeon
One hard-working muscle in your body is your heart, pounding more than 100,000 times a day. Preventive treatment of this vital organ is essential.
In India, heart disease is the leading cause of death, and a cardiac surgeon in Chandigarh can help you get cured at ease. For people with no known heart condition, deciding when to see a cardiac surgeon can be tricky. Ten reasons to call a heart doctor are listed here.
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You feel pain in the chest
One of the hallmark symptoms of a heart attack is chest pain. Although there are other causes of chest pain that are not linked to the heart, there is a particular concern for chest pressure that develops or worsens with exercise, as it may be a sign that the heart may not be receiving enough blood. A cardiologist or cardiac surgeon near me may assist in assessing the cause and the treatment plan that is necessary. Heart pain may also be a symptom of a heart attack, an emergency that is life-threatening. If you think you’re having a heart attack, know the symptoms and call an ambulance. Mind that for men and women, symptoms may be different.
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You’ve got hypertension
Blood pressure is the blood force that pushes through the walls of the artery. Chronically high blood pressure causes the heart to work harder for blood to pump which raises the risk of stroke and heart attack.
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You’re suffering from shortness of breath, palpitations, or dizziness
If the cardiac disease is the cause may be determined by a cardiologist. These signs may be a result of heart rhythm or coronary artery disease that is irregular. You must get in touch with the Best cardiac surgeon and get yourself cured and treated.
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You’re having diabetes
The association between cardiovascular disease and diabetes is high. Poorly regulated blood sugar affects the regulation of your blood vessels and raises the risk of developing coronary artery disease considerably. A cardiologist can consult with your primary care physician to help assess what risk can be minimized by treatment or preventive strategies.
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They’ve got a history of smoking
One of the main preventable risk factors for heart disease is smoking, which can lead to elevated blood pressure and the risk of cancer. Receive advice from Dr. Ashwani Bansal.
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Having a history of elevated cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance present in a variety of foods, and the liver also contains it. In the arteries, high cholesterol may lead to plaque. By consuming a balanced diet, one of the ways you can reduce your cholesterol is. Your doctor can prescribe cholesterol treatment medications that also help lower your risk of a heart attack. To minimize the chances of heart disease, speak to your cardiologist or cardiac surgeon about heart-healthy foods, and track your cholesterol.
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You’re suffering from chronic kidney disease
Your risk for heart failure increases if your kidneys don’t function properly. Kidney disease is related to arterial disease and high blood pressure. A cardiac surgeon will explain how the heart is affected by your condition and help you reduce the risk of heart disease.
Also See: Heart Specialist in Chandigarh
Facts about heart attack: Learn from the heart specialist in Derabassi
The heart is one of the most important organs of the body. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked enough that it does not provide the oxygen it needs the body. Last year, more than a million Indians had heart attacks. Often called myocardial infarctions, “Myo” means muscle, “cardial” refers to the heart, and because of a lack of blood flow, “infarction” means tissue death. This death of the tissue will cause the heart muscle to sustain permanent harm.
Causes of heart attack
The muscle of your heart requires a steady flow of blood rich in oxygen. This vital blood flow is given to your heart through your coronary arteries. Those arteries get small if you have coronary artery disease, and blood can’t circulate as well as it should. You have a heart attack because the blood flow is blocked.
In your arteries, fat, calcium, proteins, and inflammatory cells stack up to form plaques. On the surface, these plaque deposits are hard, and on the inside, smooth and mushy.
The outer shell breaks when the plaque is rough. It’s called a rupture here. The region is reached by platelets (disc-shaped items in your blood that allow it to clot), and blood clots grow around the plaque. When the artery is blocked by a blood clot, the heart muscle becomes starved for oxygen. Soon, the muscle cells die and inflict permanent damage.
A spasm in the coronary artery will occasionally cause a heart attack as well. Your arteries restrict or spasm on and off during this coronary spasm, shutting off the blood flow to the heart muscle (ischemia). When you’re at home and even though you don’t have extreme coronary heart disease, it will happen.
Quick facts about heart attack
- Compared to the classic chest pain that men might feel, women have various signs of heart disease (nausea, indigestion, and shoulder aches). 25 percent of all heart attacks go unrecognized (especially those in women).
- Excessive stress is a risk factor for cardiac arrest. Laughing is good for the ego! This relaxes and strengthens blood vessels to increase blood flow by up to 20%!
- CT scans of Egyptian mummies indicate that the theory that coronary heart failure is caused only by western lifestyles is refuted by multiple heart attacks.
- A daily aspirin dosage can help prevent a second heart attack from occurring.
- In contrast to those living with a family or roommate, people living alone are twice as likely to have a heart attack.