Cardiology

Cardiology is the branch of internal medicine dealing with disorders of the heart and blood vessels. The field is commonly divided in the branches of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology.

What is Cardiology?

The term cardiology is derived from the Greek words “cardia,” which refers to the heart and “logy” meaning “study of.” Cardiology is a branch of medicine that concerns diseases and disorders of the heart, which may range from congenital defects through to acquired heart diseases such as coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure.

Heart Disease Biomarkers and Screening Tests

Limiting Cardiovascular Risk Using Akkermansia

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)

Cardiac Pharmaceutical Agents

Myocardial T1 and T2 Mapping

Cardiology Procedures

Structure and Function of the Heart

Hidden Signs of Heart Problems

Percutaneous Closure Procedure

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiothoracic Imaging Techniques

See more featured articles »

Artificial Intelligence in Cardiology

How the Heart Pumps Blood

Latest Cardiology News and Research

High blood pressure in adolescence can be linked to atherosclerosis risk in middle age

A blood pressure as low as 120/80 mm Hg in adolescence can be linked to a higher risk of atherosclerosis in middle age, according to a study led from Linköping University, Sweden.

19 Nov 2025

ESC launches its first Digital & AI Summit to advance cardiovascular innovation

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) will host its first Digital & AI Summit in Berlin on 21-22 November, bringing together global experts in cardiology, technology, and healthcare.

18 Nov 2025

Muscle-driven gene therapy shows promise for protecting memory in Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating cause of memory loss and cognitive decline, for which no curative treatment is available.

18 Nov 2025

Calculator assesses 30-year heart risk for young adults

Just as saving for retirement starts early, so should protecting your heart. A new Northwestern Medicine study introduces a first-of-its-kind online calculator that uses percentiles to help younger adults forecast and understand their risk of a heart event over the next 30 years.

17 Nov 2025

Chronic pain in adults linked to increased risk of developing high blood pressure

Chronic pain in adults may increase their risk of high blood pressure, and the location and extent of pain and if they also had depression were contributing factors, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

17 Nov 2025

Improved birth experiences through integrated midwifery care at NYU Langone Health

Although midwives have long been associated with home births, roughly 90 percent of midwife-attended births in the U.S. now occur in hospitals.

14 Nov 2025

Cardiologists recommend reassessing need for additional stents later

A blocked coronary artery causing an acute heart attack must be opened immediately with a stent procedure. However, if other coronary arteries also appear to be narrowed, it is safe to wait and treat those later. This approach cuts the number of stent procedures in half, according to cardiologists from Radboud university medical center, writing in The New England Journal of Medicine.

14 Nov 2025

Plant-based diet prevents and reverses heart microvascular dysfunction in hypertensive rats

Eating a plant-based diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes can help prevent and reverse heart disease in rats that have high blood pressure, according to a study published by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

12 Nov 2025

Northwestern scientists create new genetic risk score to improve prediction of arrhythmia

In a new Northwestern Medicine study, scientists have developed a more precise genetic risk score to determine whether a person is likely to develop arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to serious conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AFib) or sudden cardiac death.

11 Nov 2025

Daily coffee linked to lower risk of irregular heart rhythm episode in AFib patients

Adults treated for atrial fibrillation (AFib) who drank a daily cup of coffee were 39% less likely to have an irregular heart rhythm episode compared to those who avoided all caffeinated products, according to a new study.

11 Nov 2025

Study examines medication adherence in high-risk, low-income populations

People with high blood pressure were twice as likely to take their blood pressure medication regularly when offered daily chances to win cash rewards, yet they did not achieve better blood pressure measurements than people who were not offered financial rewards, a new study shows.

11 Nov 2025

Metformin shows promise in treating AFib recurrence after ablation

People with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and obesity may have fewer episodes of AFib after ablation if they take the diabetes medication metformin in addition to standard care, according to a preliminary, late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

Anticoagulants increase bleeding post-ablation with no added stroke benefit

A minimally invasive heart procedure to correct irregular heart rhythms called catheter ablation may reduce the risk of stroke enough that some patients can discontinue blood thinners, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

One-month dual therapy strategy offers advantages for AFib patients and clinicians

New research found a simplified clot-preventing medication regimen following stent placement in adults with atrial fibrillation was just as safe and effective in preventing strokes, heart attack and death, when compared to a standard year-long treatment regimen, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

New data supports earlier use of evolocumab in high-risk diabetes

Adding the PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab to a high-intensity, cholesterol-lowering regimen reduced the risk of a first major cardiovascular event among adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or diabetes , according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

Novel triple receptor agonist shows potent efficacy in lowering high triglycerides

In a small, short duration trial (12 weeks), a new medication called DR10624 reduced triglyceride levels in most patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia by more than 60%, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

Comparative study finds higher rates of adverse events with ticagrelor

One year of treatment with either of two strong blood-thinning medications—ticagrelor and prasugrel—by people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who had a drug-eluting stent placed in their heart to treat coronary artery blockages did not offer the same level of benefit to prevent stent clotting, heart attacks, and bleeding complications, according to findings presented during a preliminary late-breaking science session during the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025 in New Orleans on November 10.

10 Nov 2025

Healthy meal deliveries boost quality of life for people with heart failure

Providing healthy, medically tailored meals or boxes of fresh produce along with nutrition counseling with a dietitian led to improved quality of life for people with heart failure compared to people who received dietary counseling without healthy food deliveries, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

10 Nov 2025

Single daily polypill improves heart function and quality of life in heart failure patients

Adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who took a "polypill" combining medications prescribed for the treatment of heart failure, had improved heart function and symptoms, better quality of life, fewer hospitalizations and greater medication adherence than those taking the medications individually, according to a late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

10 Nov 2025

MRI-based blood flow testing offers better answers for unexplained chest pain

Chest pain may still be angina even when coronary angiogram testing shows the main heart arteries look clear. Using stress cardiac stress MRI testing to measure blood flow around the heart appears to improve diagnosis and patient quality of life.

10 Nov 2025