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Cardiology

A general guide to learning about Cardiology.

Cardiology Resources

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Disclaimer

This guide was created for patrons looking for general consumer health information. These resources are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For questions related to advice, diagnosis, or treatment please contact a licensed medical provider.

Introduction

According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, cardiology is a "medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and abnormalities involving the heart and blood vessels."

In 1628 William Harvey, an English physician who published his observations of the heart and circulation, laid the initial groundwork for the field of cardiology. From there, a better understanding of the parts and processes of the cardiovascular system, like blood pressure, heart muscle structure, heart sounds, electrical activity in the heart and more, developed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Then the 20th century saw improved diagnostic tools.

Some inventions and procedures crucial to progress in the cardiology discipline include:

  • The stethoscope, used for auscultation
  • Electrocardiography, which measures electrical activity in the heart
  • Echocardiography, an ultrasound of the heart
  • Pacemakers, which aid in controlling abnormal heart rhythms
  • Cardiac catheterization, used to diagnose diseases of the heart and treat some cardiovascular conditions
  • Coronary angiograms, which use X-ray imaging to display the blood vessels of the heart
  • Defibrillation, a treatment that sends an electric current to the heart

The importance of heart health cannot be understated. According to Harvard Health Publishing, "The heart beats about 2.5 billion times over the average lifetime, pushing millions of gallons of blood to every part of the body." That being said, as stated by the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. For more information about cardiology, heart health and cardiovascular diseases, see Helpful Websites below!

Cardiology. (n.d.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/science/cardiology

Non-Invasive Tests and Procedures. (2015, July 31). American Heart Association. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/diagnosing-a-heart-attack/noninvasive-tests-and-procedures

Invasive Tests and Procedures. (2015, July 31). American Heart Association. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/diagnosing-a-heart-attack/invasive-tests-and-procedures

Heart Health. (n.d.). Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/heart-health

Leading Causes of Death. (2017, March 17). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

Databases

Below are some of the suggested databases for locating scholarly articles pertaining to cardiology.  

If you would like to see the full list of databases available to Touro students, click here. Once there, you can narrow your database options to ones most likely to contain information about cardiology by choosing Health Sciences in the drop down menu.

eJournals

Books & eBooks

Touro Library Catalog


Click Here To Use Advanced Search

All of Touro's books can be found by searching the catalog (above, or where it says Catalog Find Print Books on the library homepage).

Use the advanced search to limit your results by year, campus location, etc. Search just eBooks by selecting eBooks on the library homepage. If a print book you'd like is at a different campus, learn how to request it. 

The items below are just a sampling of the many titles available:

Videos

The Heart: Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology

Living Through the Heart Attack

Living With Heart Disease

Heart: Cardiomyopathy / Heart failure

Cardiovascular Care For Assistants

Keep The Blood Flowing

Heart: Coronary Heart Disease

Helpful Websites

Related LibGuides

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