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Technology for Cardiologists

Cardiologists owe the existence of their field of medicine to technologies that date back to the invention of the stethoscope, according to the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology." Technology enables cardiologists to diagnose, treat and prevent many heart problems.

  1. Early Developments

    • The invention of the stethoscope in 1816 and the x-ray fluoroscope in 1896 gave rise to the modern discipline of cardiology, as doctors could hear and see the heart at work. The electrocardiogram, or ECG, followed in 1902 and helped cardiologists diagnose abnormal heart rhythms and possible heart attacks.

    Modern Tools and Techniques

    • Cardiologists make use of increasingly sophisticated new technologies while still relying on traditional tools. The cardiac catheter, for instance, allows doctors to inject dyes into the heart for imaging purposes, while the heart-lung machine made complex open-heart surgical procedures possible for the first time.

    Benefits

    • Technological advances transformed cardiologists and other medical specialists from passive observers of symptoms into active investigators. Modern technology helps cardiologists anticipate and treat heart problems as soon as they develop, preventing fatal delays in treatment.

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