Cardiology encompasses all aspects of the care of patients with heart disease. Paediatric Cardiologists deal with heart disease in babies and children up to adolescence, and collaborate with adult cardiologists in dealing with congenital heart disease in adolescent and grown up patients (GUCH - grown-up congenital heart disease). This specialty statement deals specifically with adult cardiology, in which many consultants also practice general medicine.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the commonest cause of death in the UK. Despite huge advances in diagnosis and treatment over the last decade, the provision of care for patients with heart disease has not kept up with the increased demand that these advances have created.
The specialist service seeks to meet the need for comprehensive risk assessment and risk modification, involving medical treatment of symptoms, investigation of symptoms to define risk, and for treatment of symptoms and disease by drugs, non-surgical intervention or surgery as appropriate. Cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention are usually established by specialist care. The service is also involved in palliation of conditions which are not at the present time amenable to cure. These requirements for CHD patients are reflected in the National Service Framework for CHD.
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