Difference Between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon

1. Difference Between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon Cardiovascular disease is one of the top causes of death around the globe. Most people tend to get confused between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, but it is important to know that both of them play different yet equally significant roles in the care of a patient who suffers from heart disease. Both the professionals begin their journeys by attending higher education programs that teach the base of medicine, but that is where the similarities between the two end. After their education, both professions' training is different, and the duties and specialties also vary. It is important to reach out to the best heart doctors in Delhi NCR in case of any heart-related issue. Before understanding the difference between a cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon, let’ understand what cardiovascular diseases are? The circulatory system is known to supply blood to all body parts. And it consists of the heart, veins, arteries, and capillaries. These diseases might occur at the same time and are capable of leading to other disorders. Some of the cardiovascular diseases include: 1. Arrhythmia: It causes problems with the rhythm or the rate of the heartbeat. 2. High blood pressure: In this condition, the force of the blood against the artery is too high 3. Cardiac arrest: It is a sudden loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness. 4. Heart failure: It is a condition where the heart does not pump blood as it should. 5. Cerebrovascular disease: A disease caused by the blood vessels supplying to the brain. 6. Coronary heart disease: It is a disease of the blood vessels supplying to the heart muscle. 7. Rheumatic heart disease: It damages heart muscle and heart valves caused by streptococcal bacteria. 8. Congenital heart disease: This is caused due to congenital disabilities such as malformations of the heart structure that affect the normal functioning of the heart. 9. Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism: This disease includes blood clots in the leg veins, later moving to the heart and lungs. 10.Diabetes can also lead to CVD. With high blood sugar levels, blood vessels can be damaged, making them narrow. People suffering from Type 2 diabetes are overweight, which can also be a factor that can cause CVD. CVD often results from high blood pressure, and often there are no symptoms. But it is vital, and patients must undergo regular tests to check blood pressure. And India's capital Delhi is known to have some of the best doctors who treat patients with cardiovascular disease. To get treated, it is good to find an expert cardiologist in Delhi or a cardiac surgeon in Delhi. Differentiating between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon I. Cardiologists ● They are specialists who treat heart conditions that range from hypertension and high cholesterol to issues related to heartbeat rhythm. They also perform procedures that assist in both, diagnosis and treatment of several heart problems. Cardiologists perform echocardiograms to identify heart holes or heart valve issues, conduct stress tests to detect cardiovascular disease, and monitor the heart to detect other problems.

2. ● Cardiologists perform procedures in clogged arteries and perform rhythm treatment procedures such as atrial fibrillation ablation procedures to treat more severe heart rhythm problems. ● Cardiologists diagnose and treat heart problems without surgery. Cardiologists ask the patients to consult with cardiac surgeons if required. They work together with cardiac surgeons to treat problems with irregular heartbeats. The cardiologist will examine the patient fully before deciding on surgery. Cardiologists generally monitor the patients and see to it that they are resting at home after the surgery. ● To summarize, cardiologists focus on the heart and blood vessels. They perform diagnostic tests and prescribe courses of non-surgical treatment. They tell the patients to meet cardiac surgeons if required. And they keep in touch with the patients for the long term. II. Cardiac Surgeons ● Cardiac surgeons enter a surgical residency for at least 5-7 years and learn to operate on the chest and upper abdominal organs. The surgeons typically perform their procedures through incisions that either separate the breastbone or operate between the ribs to operate within the chest. ● The professional association between cardiac surgeons and their patients lasts only for a few months, enough to treat them. The cardiologist asks the patient to consult with a cardiac surgeon if complex surgical procedures are required. For example, coronary artery bypasses congenital heart defects, aneurysms, and in extreme cases, full cardiac transplants or artificial hearts. ● Cardiac surgeons also treat other parts of the upper thorax. Depending on their specialty, they treat conditions and diseases that affect the lungs, esophagus, and thymus. ● In short cardiac surgeons perform complex surgeries on the heart and lungs and usually have short-term relationships with their patients. ❖ Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease ● Nausea and fatigue ● The patient can feel pain or pressure in the chest. ● Shortness of breath ● Discomfort in the arms, legs, shoulders, or jaws. ● Dizziness or light-headedness ❖ Risk factors for cardiovascular disease ● Blockage in the arteries ● Smoking ● High blood pressure ● Poor sleep cycle ● High blood cholesterol ● Physical inactivity ● Excessive consumption of alcohol ● Obesity ● Stress ● Air pollution ❖ Lifestyle tips to prevent some of the conditions related to cardiovascular disease:

3. ● Managing body weight is highly recommended in leading a healthy lifestyle. Reducing 5-10% of the body weight lessens the chance of developing CVD. ● People need to exercise regularly. It could be going for morning runs, brisk walking, cardio, and even doing some basic workout at home. It is important to keep our body physically fit by sweating it out every day. ● Another important tip is to maintain and healthy balanced diet. We live in a time and world where our lives revolve around fast food or microwaving food times, mostly because we don't have time. People don't realize the effect these food habits hold on the body. It is necessary for people to fruits, vegetables, and even fish to their diet because it helps reduce risks of CVD. ● Smoking plays a major role in most cardiovascular cases. Quitting can prove difficult for many people, but it is quite necessary to do so for reduced CVD chances. Both cardiologists and cardiac surgeons are equally important as we need both of them to treat our heart and lungs. The treatment area may be the same, but the procedure varies. Cardiologists are experts and specially trained to diagnose heart problems without having to perform surgery. On the other hand, cardiac surgeons take the advice of cardiologists to provide treatment of complicated surgical procedures. Together, they help improve the health of the patient and even save lives. It is best to reach out to a heart specialist in Delhi who can offer best treatment backed by expertise, training and experience when there are heart-related issues. To find the cost of heart surgery in Delhi, you can research online and visit the websites of some of the most reputed heart clinics and hospitals in Delhi. Dr. Sujay Shad is a renowned name in the field of heart surgeries. His vast experience and expertise make him one of the best heart specialist doctors in Delhi.