Interventional Cardiologist: What It Is And How To Become One

<P>An interventional cardiologist (IC) deals with specific treatments of the heart that involve diseases of the hearts structure, particularly walls and valves within the cardiac organism, and his treatments usually involve catheters.  Catheter-based treatment is the central medical alleviation used by interventional cardiology specialists, and can be used in a variety of ways.</P> <P> <HR> <P></P> <P><STRONG>RECOMMENDED PROFESSIONALS:</STRONG></P> <P>(Get your business listed here and generate leads 24/7- email <A href="mailto:info@smartguy.com">info@smartguy.com</A>)</P> <P>Consumers... click <A href="http://www.findaprofessional.com/"><STRONG>HERE</STRONG></A> to find a local professional through our friends at FindaProfessional.com</P> <P> <HR> <P></P> <P>A catheter is a tube inserted into an organ, duct, body cavity or blood vessel, and they facilitate drainage (as in a spinal tap), administration of fluids (as used in internal IVs and ongoing chemical injections) or gases (as used in internal anesthetics).  Usually thin and flexible, a catheter-based treatment may be permanent (as in a stent, inserted permanently into a heart valvethis is also called an indwelling catheter) or temporary (as in most IVs and hospital-supervised medical treatments involving injections). </P> <P>The interventional cardiologist will use catheters and stents exclusively for the heart, although there are a number of procedures manifest with this method.  For example, the most common is the sheath inserted into a femoral or peripheral artery which cannulates (prepares for insertion) the section of the heart being examined in a fluoroscope and can thus show the heart surgeon or advising physician the inside story of an internal cardiac disorder.  It can also control internal bleeding in patients with anticoagulation conditions, and is usually a painless and non-exhaustive procedure, and, of course, it facilities a radiology treatment as well. </P> <P>Radiology in a catheter treatment is primarily used for myocardial infarction, since it will extract or reduce clots in occluded arteries.  Stents and balloons, which are part of the treatment arsenal of the interventional cardiology specialist, can be inserted into major arteries through small holes in the tissue (also known as pin-hole surgery), which can facilitate angioplasty, the treatment for disease of the coronary arteries.  </P> <P>The interventional cardiology specialist may also treat patients with congenital heart defects, particular those such as the atrial septal disorder (which involves a loss of blood in the flow between the atria through the interatrial septum) and the ventricular septal disorder (which is a disorder in the ventricular septum, the wall that separates left and right heart ventricles).  </P> <P>This means that the IC must be trained in the pericutaneous surgical technique (which is the insertion of needles to allow for stents, catheters and balloons, as opposed to opening the body with a scalpel).   In a percutaneous valve replacement, for example, a valve would be replaced with a stent or catheter using needles as opposed to open-heart surgery.   </P> <P>Finally, a specialized treatment of the IC includes thrombectomy (removal of blood clots from a coronary artery) either through radiology or percutaneous surgical methods.  </P> <P>How does one become an IC?  The methods are the same as with any medical professional, in that one graduates medical school (with at least 4000 hours of medical residency completed), and pass the ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine) examination, which one is usually ready for after three more years of specialized study and supervised practice, post medical schoolthis is usually in the form of a cardiology residency, which is particularly rigorous (24 hour shifts are common) and wearing to all but the most dedicated medical neophyte. </P> <P>This is followed by obtaining the CDMC (Cardiovascular Disease Maintenance Certification) by passing that exam, a far more specialized test than the ABIM in that it includes both essays and cardiology case studies in its parameters.  </P> <P>There is moreone must then complete an IC residency, which is at least one years additional training.   This exclusively focuses on uses of catheters, stents, Rotablator (laser-removal of artery buildup) and angioplasty. <BR> <BR>The final certification is the ICC (Interventional Cardiology Certification) exam, a one-day test that finally allows the professional certification as an interventional cardiologist, a rigorous, demanding and rewarding profession.</P>