Surgical wounds are incisions in the skin made during a medical procedure. All wound care needs are specific to each individual patient, as all surgical wounds are different.

They can differ in size, and healing time depending on a variety of factors including age, health, and the type of surgery performed.

Phases of Wound Healing

Wound healing has classically been described to occur in three phases, regardless of the mechanism of injury. These phases are the inflammatory, the proliferative, and the remodeling phases.

The inflammatory phase

The inflammatory phase is the body’s natural response to injury and takes place immediately after the wound is formed. The wounding triggers a localized release of inflammatory mediators that encourage vasodilation.

The inflammatory phase of wound healing is responsible for the classical signs of inflammation that occur in response to an injury: erythema, heat, edema, pain, and decreased function.

The Proliferative Phase

The wound starts to rebuild itself in the proliferative phase. Granulation tissue, comprising collagen and extracellular matrix, fills the wound defect and angiogenesis also occurs. As the wound defect fills, the wound gradually contracts and epithelial tissue begins to form at the wound edges.

The Remodelling Phase

The final stage of wound healing is remodeling, which occurs once the wound is closed. In this phase, the wound regains its tensile strength as the collagen fibers within the wound remodel and reorganize themselves. It is also during this phase that the wound vascularised and returns to its original state of blood supply.

How does a wound heal?

In healthy people, most wounds heal within a couple of weeks but this can vary depending on the type of operation you had.

The way a wound heals can be divided into several phases, which may overlap.

· Immediately after the cut, cells called platelets in your blood form clumps and release chemicals to stop the bleeding.

· In the first few days, blood flow to your wound increases and white blood cells arrive to fight infection and remove dead tissue. New cells arrive to start repairing the wound.

· From three days to three weeks, new blood vessels grow to bring nutrients to your wound and new tissue starts to develop.

· Finally, from three weeks up to about a year, the new tissues laid down in the wound are gradually replaced and re-organized. Your scar gradually gets stronger, paler, and more like normal skin.

Monitoring wound

While the wound is healing, it’s important to keep an eye on it and check for signs of infection. You can learn what to look out for in the section below: Wound infections.

Sometimes a lump can form around the scar. This is called a hematoma let GP or surgeon know if you feel any lumps.

You may wish to keep your wound out of the sun while it’s healing. While sunlight doesn’t affect healing, the top layer of your skin produces a pigment called melanin that gives your skin its color. So if you expose your skin to the sun while your wound is healing, the scar might look different from the skin around it.

Dressings

It’s not always necessary to have a dressing on a surgical wound but if you do need one, it’s purpose is to:

· absorb any fluid weeping from your wound

· provide the best conditions for healing

· protect the area as your wound heals

Incision Care Tips

After some surgeries wound, you may be given special instructions other than these for taking care of the incision. Be sure to follow those instructions carefully.

Don’t expose your incision to direct sun for 3 to 9 months after surgery. As an incision heals, the new skin that is formed over the cut is very sensitive to sunlight and will burn more easily than normal skin. Bad scarring could occur if you get sunburn on this new skin

Treatment Reference

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a well-established procedure in the treatment of small solid tumors, mainly of the liver be it hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or colorectal metastases. The high-energy radio wave treatment is applied in a needle-based approach under image-guidance.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat made by radio waves to treat cancer. Radiofrequency is a type of electrical energy. The electrical energy heats up the tumor and kills the cancer cells.

What happens during the treatment period?

A radiofrequency ablation is a treatment option for patients who have experienced successful pain relief after a diagnostic nerve/pain receptor block injection.

Prepare the patient

The patient remains awake and aware during the procedure to provide feedback to the physician. A low dose sedative, such as Valium or Versed, is usually the only medication given for this procedure.

Insert the needle

Fluoroscopy allows the doctor to watch the needle in real-time on the fluoroscope monitor to make sure that the needle goes to the desired location. Contrast may be injected to confirm the correct needle location. Some discomfort occurs, but patients typically feel more pressure than pain.

Deliver heating current

Once the needle is in place, the patient receives a numbing medication. The current destroys the portion of the nerve that transmits pain and disrupts the pain-producing signal. The burn takes approximately 90 seconds for each site, and multiple nerves can be burned at the same time.

Risk of Radiofrequency Ablation

Air embolism

Air may enter the bloodstream and cause a stroke, heart attack, or death

Bleeding

It is possible, though unusual, to experience an episode of bleeding, which may be excessive, during, or after surgery. Bleeding may require additional treatment. Please notify your physician if you are taking or plan to take any of these medications.

Blood clot development

Blood clots may occur with any type of surgery. Clots can block blood flow and cause complications including pain, swelling, inflammation, neurological deficits, or tissue damage. This may require additional procedures for the treatment of the blood clot.

Increased pain

It is possible, though unlikely, that pain or other symptoms will increase following the procedure.

Recurrence

There is a chance that the signs and symptoms may reoccur.

Respiratory Difficulties

Breathing difficulties, usually temporary, or postoperative pneumonia may occur as a result of surgery. A pulmonary embolus could occur from blood clotting in the veins. This may be life-threatening and require further therapy.

Scar Formation

It is possible that scar tissue could form in the area where the operation was performed and cause pain and other symptoms.

Treatment Reference

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy involves the use of concentration of a patient’s own platelets to facilitate the healing of tissues such as injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is produced from a person’s own blood. It is a concentration of one type of cell, known as platelets, which circulate through the blood and are critical for blood clotting. Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that can harness those abilities and amplify the natural growth factors your body uses to heal tissue.

It’s a safe, non-surgical treatment that utilizes proteins and growth factors within platelets and plasma from your own blood.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses injections of a concentration of a patient’s own platelets to accelerate the healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. In this way, PRP injections use each individual patient’s own healing system to improve musculoskeletal problems.

What Can Platelet-Rich Plasma Treat?

PRP injections are used to treat torn tendons, tendinitis, muscle injuries, arthritis-related pain, and joint injuries. They’re becoming more common for cosmetic procedures, too. And some dermatologists provide PRP treatments for the face.

Why we need to get Platelet-Rich Plasma injection

PRP doesn’t usually cause major side effects. But because it involves drawing blood, you’ll want to make sure you eat before the procedure. That will help you avoid feeling lightheaded when you get PRP injections.

Abnormal platelet function or a low platelet count

· Anemia

· Cancer

· An infection

Approaches to get PRP injection

There are have some approaches of Platelet-Rich Plasma injection. They are;

· A medical professional draws blood from a vein in the arm.

· They place the blood sample in a centrifuge.

· The centrifuge spins the blood, separating its components.

· A medical professional extracts the platelets using a syringe.

· A doctor injects the platelets into targeted areas of the scalp

Side effect of PRP Injection

PRP involves injecting a substance into the skin, there are potential side effects. PRP is autologous, which means it contains substances that come directly from your own body. However, there are risks from the injection itself, including:

Pain in the Injured Area

Some people who’ve undergone PRP therapy complain about an acute ache or soreness in the spot of the injection.

No Improvement in Injured Area

Sometimes the original pain and soreness of the injury remains even after an extended rest period after the PRP therapy.

Allergic Reaction

Some patients body will reject their own serum and react negatively to the treatment. This is rare, but it does happen.

Blood Clot

Normally, a blood clot forms when there is damage to the lining of a blood vessel, like with a cut. If that happens a blood clot occurs and is treated like any normal clot.

Skin Discoloration

Discolored skin patches are irregular areas where there are changes in skin color. They are a common problem with a wide array of potential causes.

Some of the more common causes for changes in skin color are illness, injury, and inflammatory problems.

Other side effects of PRP Injection

· Infection

· Nerve injuries

· Tissue damage

· Scalp tenderness

· Swelling

· Headache

· Itching

· Temporary bleeding at the injection site

Treatment Reference

Discogram is an invasive diagnostic test that uses x-rays to examine the intervertebral discs of your spine. A special dye is injected into the injured disc or series of discs. The dye makes the disc visible on a fluoroscope monitor and x-ray film.

Spinal disks are sponge-like cushions between the bones of the spine. During a discogram, the dye is injected into the soft center of one or more disks. The injection sometimes reproduces your back pain.

Process of taking the discogram test

There is have some following procedures of the discogram test. They are;

Prepare the patient

You may be given a sedative to make you drowsy and relaxed. You will lie on your stomach and side during the test.

Insert the contrast dye

Using fluoroscopy, the radiologist guides a needle into the disc or discs that will be examined. When the needles are in the correct place, the dye is injected. This will recreate the pain symptoms you have been experiencing or will intensify the symptoms you currently have.

X-ray pictures

Next, the needles are removed and x-rays are taken. At this point, you should remain very still so that the x-ray images will not be blurred. Most people also have CT scans taken afterward.

Result

The radiologist will promptly review your images and communicate directly with your referring doctor, who in turn will discuss the results with you.

You will be taken back to a room and observed for 30 minutes. Be sure to drink plenty of water or fluids to help clear the dye from your body. You will be allowed to go home that day. You should take it easy for 24 hours following the test.

Risk of Discogram

Some most complication or risk of Discogram or discography They are;

Spinal headache

A spinalheadache, also known as a post-dural puncture headache, is a complication of needle insertion into the subarachnoid space. A spinal headache can occur as a result of a procedure such as a spinal tap or epidural block. In these procedures, a needle is placed within the fluid-filled space surrounding the spinal cord.

Vascular Pain

If you are experiencing a lack of circulation, pain, or heaviness in certain areas, you might be having vascular pain. This develops when there is an interruption in blood flow to a tissue, organ, or nerves.

Vascular Surgeons categorize these injuries by the type of trauma that caused them: blunt or penetrating injury.

Disc space infection

Disc space infection or discitis, an infection of the intervertebral disc with contiguous subchondral vertebral osteomyelitis, most frequently follows prior intervertebral disc surgery or arises by hematogenous dissemination.

Back pain

Back pain can range from a muscle aching to a shooting, burning, or stabbing sensation. In addition, the pain may radiate down your leg or worsen with bending, twisting, lifting, standing, or walking.

Other risk factors of a discogram

· Risk of infection from intervertebral injections

· Possible allergic reaction to the dye

· Risk of bleeding

· Possible long-term side effects from radiation

Treatment Reference

A cervical epidural steroid injection may be performed to relieve pain associated with inflammation around the nerves in the neck. The pain relief from a facet joint injection is intended to help a patient better tolerate a physical therapy routine to rehabilitate his or her injury or back condition.

An epidural injection is a procedure where a drug is injected into the epidural space that is present around the spinal cord. The procedure is performed primarily to inject local anesthetic or steroids in order to exert an effect on the nerve fibers that are much from the spinal cord.

Cervical epidural steroid injection procedures are injections administered to relieve pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms caused by a pinched nerve or inflamed nerve(s) in the cervical spine.

Risk of Cervical thoracic steroid injection

Major complications of these injections include; epidural hematoma, infection new neurological deficits due to intramedullary injections, and strokes to the spinal cord, brain stem, and/or cerebellum attributed to intravascular injections among others.Although rare, risks of the cervical epidural steroid injection procedure may include infection, allergic reaction to the medication, spinal headache, nerve damage, and prolonged increase in pain.

The most common potential risks and complications include:

Infection.

Severe infections are rare, occurring in 0.1% to 0.01% of injections.

Dural puncture

Post-dural-puncture headache is a complication of puncture of the dura mater. A dural puncture occurs in 0.5% of injections. A blood patch is a simple, quick procedure that involves obtaining a small amount of blood from a patient from an arm vein and immediately injecting it into the epidural space to allow it to clot around the spinal sac and stop the leak.

Bleeding

Bleeding is a rare complication and is more common for patients with underlying bleeding disorders.

Nerve damage.

With nerve damage, there can be a wide array of symptoms. Which ones you may have depended on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Damage can occur to nerves in your brain and spinal cord. While extremely rare, nerve damage can occur from direct trauma from the needle, or from infection or bleeding.

Who is eligible to take this injection?

Patients with pain in the neck, arm, backside, or leg pain. Please find the below-mentioned conditions to take Cervical thoracic steroid injection.

Spinal stenosis

The spine is a column of bones called vertebrae that provide stability and support for the upper body. It enables us to turn and twist. Spinal nerves run through openings in the vertebrae and conduct signals from the brain to rest of the body. The surrounding bone and tissues protect these nerves.

The open spaces between the vertebrae may start to get smaller. The tightness can pinch the spinal cord or the nerves around it, causing pain, tingling, or numbness in your legs, arms, or torso.

Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis is a spinal condition that affects the lower vertebrae. This disease causes one of the lower vertebrae to slip forward onto the bone directly beneath it. It’s a painful condition but treatable in most cases.

Spondylolisthesis is a spinal condition that causes lower back pain. It occurs when one of your vertebrae, the bones of your spine, slips out of place onto the vertebra below it. Most of the time, nonsurgical treatment can relieve your symptoms.

Herniated disc

A herniated disk is a condition that can occur anywhere along the spine, but most often occurs in the lower back. It is sometimes called a bulging, protruding, or ruptured disk.

A herniated disc is a relatively common condition that can occur anywhere along the spine, but most often affects the lower back or neck region.

Sciatica

Several lumbar spine (lower back) disorders can cause sciatica. Sciatica is often described as mild to intense low back pain that travels into the left or right leg. Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body. Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg.

Treatment Reference

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a procedure that may reduce pain. A radio wave produces an electrical current, which heats up a small area of nerve tissue. This curbs pain signals from that specific area.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are treatments that use image guidance to place a needle through the skin into a liver tumor.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed at a doctor’s office or a hospital. Patients usually return home the same day. Depending on the area treated, a superficial burning pain with hypersensitivity, similar to a sunburn feeling may be experienced. Sometimes a slight numbness of the skin over the same area may also be experienced.

How long pain relief Radiofrequency ablation last?

The degree of pain relief varies, depending on the cause and location of the pain. Pain relief from RFA can last from six to 12 months and in some cases, relief can last for years. More than 70% of patients treated with RFA experience pain relief.

Is Radiofrequency Ablation Safe?

Radiofrequency ablation may be right for you if you have chronic pain that does not respond to other treatment, such as pain medication and physical therapy.

RFA has proven to be a safe and effective way to treat some forms of pain. It also is generally well-tolerated, with very few associated complications.

An electrical current produced by a radio wave is used to heat up a small area of nerve tissue, thereby decreasing pain signals from that specific area.

Risk of Radiofrequency ablation safe

There are have some risk factors of radiofrequency ablation. They are;

Temporary numbness

A person may feel numbness in their legs and feet due to sitting in a position that puts too much pressure on the nerves or reduces blood flow. However, long-lasting or unexplained numbness may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

Causes of Temporary numbness

These sensations commonly occur after sitting or standing in a particular position or even wearing tight clothing for too long. 

• Stroke 
• Mini-strokes 
• Encephalitis
• Transverse myelitis
• Tumors
• Back and neck damage
• Magnesium deficiency

Temporary pain at the procedure site

A nerve block is an injection to decrease inflammation a pain signal along a specific distribution of nerve.

Neuritis neuroma

A neuroma is a thickening of the nerve sheath that causes pain and symptoms due to compression as it courses between the metatarsal bones. This can cause sharp, electric type pain along the foot, often radiating into the toes. It can be caused by a structural entrapment of the nerve, a space occupying lesion or increased tension on the nerve due to a positional deformity of the foot. 

Treatment Reference

Nuclear imaging uses small amounts of radioactive materials called radiotracers that are typically injected into the bloodstream, inhaled or swallowed. It is a method of producing images by detecting radiation from different parts of the body after a radioactive tracer is given to the patient. Nuclear medicine imaging provides unique information that often cannot be obtained using other imaging procedures and offers the potential to identify disease in its earliest stages.

The nuclear imaging can be used to monitor functional and molecular processes by radiolabeling of specific chemicals of a biological specimen. This branch of radiology is often used to help diagnose and treat abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease, such as thyroid cancer.

Why its need

Nuclear medicine imaging procedures are noninvasive. With the exception of intravenous injections, they are usually painless. There are legitimate concerns about possible cancer induction even by low levels of radiation exposure from cumulative medical imaging examinations, but this risk is acceptable to be quite small in contrast to the expected benefit derived from a medically needed diagnostic imaging study.

Types of Nuclear Imaging

Bone density scan

Bone density scanning also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry or determines if you have osteoporosis a disorder characterized by bones that are more fragile and more likely to break.  This test helps to estimate the density of your bones and your chance of breaking a bone. The bone density test is painless and quick. It estimates how dense or thick your bones are by using X-rays.

Cardiac PET perfusion

This procedure evaluates the blood flow through the coronary arteries to the heart muscle using a radioactive tracer. However, the widespread use of PET MPI has been limited by the shortcomings of the current PET perfusion tracers. It can show areas of the heart muscle that aren’t getting enough blood flow. This test is often called a nuclear stress test.

Cardiac PET sarcoid

It is a manifestation of the systemic sarcoid disease that leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Lung and intrathoracic lymph nodes are classic sites of involvement; however, sarcoidosis can affect any site in the body. This inflammatory disease affects multiple organs; usually include abnormal masses or nodules consisting of inflamed tissues that can form in the heart.

Cardiac PET viability

Cardiac Positron emission tomography viability imaging is used to assess how much heart muscle has been damaged by a heart attack or heart disease, an evaluation of the functional status of the heart, and whether the heart has suffered permanent damage. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a unique modality that evaluates myocardial viability via assessing the tissue’s metabolic and perfusion properties.

Cardiac SPECT perfusion

Cardiac SPECT perfusion is used to evaluate the heart’s blood supply. Two sets of images showing blood flow are obtained: the first following a period of rest, and the second following a period of stress, which involves exercise on a treadmill. A small intravenous catheter will be placed in your arm. Imaging is performed twice, once at rest, and a second after cardiac stress.

PET/CT scanning

A PET-CT scan combines a CT scan and a PET scan. It gives detailed information about your cancer. The scan uses a special dye containing radioactive tracers. These tracers are swallowed, inhaled, or injected into a vein in your arm depending on what part of the body is being examined. By identifying changes at the cellular level, PET may detect the early onset of disease before other imaging tests can.

Reference

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. Produced in the endocrine glands, these powerful chemicals travel around your bloodstream telling tissues and organs what to do. They help control many of your body’s major processes, including metabolism and reproduction.

It’s normal for your levels to shift at different times of your life, such as before and during your period or a pregnancy, or during menopause. But some medications and health issues can cause them to go up or down, too.

Causes of Hormonal Imbalances

Numerous culprits contribute to these hormonal imbalances, and sometimes they overlap. 

Chronic stress

Stress is a biological response to demanding situations. It causes the body to release hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. Many factors can trigger a stress response, including dangerous situations and psychological pressures, such as work deadlines, exams, and sporting events.

The physical effects of stress usually do not last long. However, some people find themselves in a nearly constant state of heightened alertness. This is chronic stress.

Nutrient deficiencies

A nutritional deficiency occurs when the body doesn’t absorb or get from food the necessary amount of a nutrient. Deficiencies can lead to a variety of health problems. These can include digestion problems, skin disorders, stunted or defective bone growth, and even dementia.

Thyroiditis

Thyroiditis refers to a group of disorders that cause inflammation of the thyroid. Your thyroid is the gland located in the front of your neck below your Adam’s apple. The thyroid makes hormones that control your metabolism and affect how your body works.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that slows or stops the growth of cancer that uses hormones to grow. Hormone therapy is also called hormonal therapy, hormone treatment, or endocrine therapy.

Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance

Hormone imbalance symptoms vary greatly depending on the hormone, but include:

• Weight gain or weight loss
• Sleep issues
• Sensitivities to cold and heat
• Changes in blood pressure or heart rate
• Mood disorders including irritability, depression, and anxiety
• Fatigue
• Appetite changes

Ways to Balance Your Hormones Naturally

Reduce or eliminate sugar and other food sensitivities.

Sugar keeps insulin elevated, knocking other hormones out of balance and paving the way for insulin resistance. Food sensitivities, including gluten intolerance, can also increase inflammation and contribute to hormonal imbalances, including elevated cortisol

Balance stress levels.

Chronic stress is all-around bad news for hormonal balance, as it can create or exacerbate  hormonal imbalances. Research has shown that six-months of practicing biweekly meditation could improve insulin levels, while also improving stress levels.

Address toxicity.

We are bombarded daily with chemicals nearly everywhere in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the products we put on our bodies. Many of these chemicals are considered endocrine or hormone disruptors because they interfere with hormonal production and create wide-ranging damage. 

Lower inflammation.

Hormonal imbalances can increase inflammation, which in turn can further disrupt hormone production. When your adrenals over-secrete cortisol, other hormones, including insulin, become disrupted, leading to chronic inflammation. 

Treatment Reference

Heart arrhythmia also referred to as cardiac arrhythmia, is an abnormal rhythm of the heart.

An arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah) is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. Arrhythmias can be associated with serious symptoms that can affect your ability to function. Lack of blood flow can damage the brain, heart, and other organs.

When the heart rate is too fast, too slow, or irregular, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body. Lack of blood flow can damage the brain, heart, and other organs.

Symptoms of Arrhythmia

Arrhythmias may not cause any signs or symptoms. In fact, your doctor might find you have an arrhythmia during a routine examination. Symptoms of heart arrhythmia include:

Chest pain

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons that people visit the emergency room. Chest pain varies depending on the person. Chest pain is only one of the possible signs of an impending heart attack. If you notice one or more of the signs below in yourself or someone else, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.

Shortness of breath

Your heart and lungs are involved in transporting oxygen to your tissues and removing carbon dioxide, and problems with either of these processes affect your breathing.

Dizziness

Dizziness is the feeling of being lightheaded, woozy, or unbalanced. It affects the sensory organs, specifically the eyes and ears, so it can sometimes cause fainting. Dizziness isn’t a disease, but rather a symptom of various disorders.

Dizziness is disorientation in space, lightheadedness, or a sense of unsteadiness. It affects your sense of balance and can increase your risk of falling.

Fatigue

Fatigue is a term used to describe an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy. It isn’t the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. When you’re fatigued, you have no motivation and no energy. Being sleepy may be a symptom of fatigue, but it’s not the same thing.

Types of Arrhythmia

Arrhythmias that are recurrent or related to an underlying heart condition are more concerning and should always be evaluated by a doctor. There are have some types of Arrhythmia.

They are;

Tachycardia

Tachycardia refers to a fast resting heart rate, usually over 100 beats per minute. Depending on its underlying cause and how hard the heart has to work, it can be dangerous.

When tachycardia is present, either the upper or lower chambers of the heart beat significantly faster.

When the heart beats too rapidly, it pumps less efficiently. Blood flow to the rest of the body, including the heart, reduces.

The heart has a natural pacemaker, called the sinoatrial node, in the right atrium. This produces electrical impulses. Each one triggers an individual heartbeat.

As the electrical impulses leave the sinoatrial node, they cross the atria, making the atrial muscles contract. This contraction pushes blood into the ventricles.

Bradycardia

Bradycardia means your heart rate is slow. This can be completely normal and desirable, but sometimes it can be an abnormal heart rhythm. If you have bradycardia and you have certain symptoms along with the slow heart rate, then it means your heartbeat is too slow.

Supraventricular tachycardia

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), also called paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, is defined as an abnormally fast heartbeat. It’s a broad term that includes many forms of heart rhythm problems that originate above the ventricles (supraventricular) in the atria or AV node.

Most people with rare episodes of supraventricular tachycardia live healthy lives without restrictions or interventions.

Treatment Reference

Interventional cardiology has grown to bridge many specialties, which were traditionally seen as somewhat isolated from one another. There are many things that can go wrong with the heart, and sometimes the symptoms that something is wrong are not always obvious. Cardiology is a branch of medicine which deals with the study, diagnosis, and care of the cardiovascular system.

Interventional cardiology is the subspecialty of cardiology that deals specifically with the catheter-based treatment of heart diseases. There are several main interventional cardiology procedures, including the following:

• Angioplasty and Stenting
• Atherectomy
• Embolic Protection
• Percutaneous Valve Repair
• Balloon Angioplasty

What is Coronary artery disease?

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death in the United States in both men and women. Coronary artery disease is a serious condition caused by a buildup of plaque in your coronary arteries, the blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to your heart.

A buildup of plaque can narrow these arteries, decreasing blood flow to your heart. Eventually, the reduced blood flow may cause chest pain, shortness of breath, or other coronary artery disease signs and symptoms.

This can lead to chest pain or a heart attack. Most heart attacks happen when a blood clot suddenly cuts off the hearts’ blood supply, causing permanent heart damage. A complete blockage can cause a heart attack. The plaque could also break off, leading to a heart attack or sudden cardiac death.

Risk factors for Coronary artery disease

• Many risk factors are modifiable and account for the majority of the population’s attributable risk for myocardial infarction. Your risk of CAD increases as you age getting older increases your risk of damaged and narrowed arteries. The lifetime risk of developing CAD in men and women after 40 years of age
• White men between the ages of 35 and 44 are about 6 times more likely to die of CAD than white women in that same age group. The difference is less among people who aren’t white according to Fisher. Obesity may also be a risk factor. Men are generally at greater risk of coronary artery disease. However, the risk for women increases after menopause.
• A family history of heart disease is associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease, especially if a close relative developed heart disease at an early age. Your risk is further increased if your father or a brother received a diagnosis of heart disease before age 55, or if your mother or a sister received a diagnosis before age 65.
• People who smoke have a significantly increased risk of heart disease. Causes of Smoking tobacco products first or secondhand, by itself, increases your risk of CAD. If you have coexisting risk factors, your CAD risk rises exponentially.
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure can result in the hardening and thickening of your arteries, narrowing the channel through which blood can flow. Over time, high blood pressure, or hypertension, can cause the heart muscle to enlarge and not move correctly.
• High cholesterol can be caused by a high level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol. High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL increase your risk of plaque building up in your arteries. There’s an additional risk when either one of these is accompanied by a high triglyceride level.
• Excess weight typically worsens other risk factors. Exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight and reduces your risk for other diseases, such as obesity and diabetes mellitus, which might lead to CAD.

Reference Link