Cardiology

Cardiology is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of heart disease and disorders of the cardiovascular system.

Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect the heart, such as coronary artery disease, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia), congenital heart defects, and diseases of the heart muscle or valves. Coronary (ischemic) heart disease is the most common type, which refers to the narrowing of the heart’s arteries by a build-up of plaque. This restricts blood and oxygen throughout the body and can lead to a heart attack.

Approximately 2.4 million Canadians live with ischemic heart disease, which is the second leading cause of death in Canada. Many risk factors are preventable, such as smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, and obesity. Some risk factors may be beyond our control, such as age, gender, ethnicity, family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.