To become a Cardiologist, you must pass an admissions test and interview. Applicants must also show their commitment to the NHS and the principles of the medical profession. Some medical schools prefer to recruit from diverse backgrounds and take into account family circumstances, educational background and economic situation. Once you have passed the test, you will then join a two-year paid foundation programme, which includes six placements in different healthcare settings.
Cardiology
Cardiology is the branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and cardiovascular system. This includes the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, and congenital heart defects. It also includes electrophysiology, which is the study of the heart’s electrical activity.
Interventional cardiology
Interventional cardiology deals with catheter-based treatments of structural heart diseases. Its development is attributed to Andreas Gruentzig, the father of interventional cardiology, and interventional radiologist Charles Dotter.
Carotid ultrasound
A carotid ultrasound is a non-invasive and painless test. You’ll lie on your back on an exam table and your doctor will apply gel to your carotid arteries to detect echoes. Ultrasound waves aren’t audible to the human ear, but your doctor can see the pictures on a computer screen. Your physician will then give you the results and discuss your options.
Ambulatory ECG
Ambulatory ECG monitoring is an important diagnostic tool for the detection of cardiac arrhythmias. This type of monitoring can be very helpful even for patients who have no known symptoms. Ambulatory ECG monitoring can be used to monitor the effectiveness of antiarrhythmic therapy.
Diet
Nutritional support during cardiac surgery should be individualized and based on preoperative nutritional profiles. ThisĀ Cardiologist Canberra information may help determine which patients are high-risk and need early intervention. Nutritional support for cardiac surgery patients is often inadequate. In one systematic review of cardiac surgery patients, the authors found that less than 50% of the recommended daily dietary allowances were provided. The researchers also found that the nutritional support provided by cardiac surgeons did not improve 60-day mortality.
Exercise
Preoperative exercise is a proven way to improve patient recovery following cardiac surgery. Researchers have examined the literature to identify the benefits and risks of preoperative exercise. Using multiple databases, they conducted a meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis using Review Manager 5.2 software. The results revealed that preoperative exercise can improve patient outcomes and reduce the duration of hospital stay and hospital costs.