The History of Cardiologists

Cardiologists are doctors that specializes in the disorders of the heart. Cardiologists deal with heart failure, congenital defects and coronary artery disease. The field has a come a long way as technology and research have allowed cardiologists to understand more about the heart and its function.

History

• In 1628, English doctor William Harvey published an article that revolutionized the field, accurately describing the way blood flows through the heart and into the body. About 100 years later, British scientist Stephen Hales first successfully measured blood pressure, according to the Franklin Institute.

Advances

• More advances were made in cardiology in the 19th century. The first successful heart surgery was conducted by German doctor Dr. Ludwig Rehn in 1896. The stethoscope made its first appearance earlier in that century.

Features

• The second decade of the 20th century was an important time for cardiologists. Alexis Carrel won a Nobel Prize for devising a method in 1910 that allowed doctors to keep organs alive outside the body while operating. American doctor James B. Herrick first linked heart disease with the hardening of the arteries in 1912.

1950s and 1960s

• Perhaps two of the best important decades for cardiologists were the 1950s and 1960s. During this time the first successful open heart surgery was performed, a plastic valve was created to replace the aorta, and in 1967 South African doctor Christiaan Barnard performed the first heart transplant.

Potential

• The field of cardiology is still expanding as we learn more about the human heart. In 2007, researchers at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology were able to create new heart tissue made from embryonic stem cells. This advance can potentially save millions of lives, since it can replace damaged heart tissue.