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.

Percutaneous Closure Procedure

Cardiology Procedures

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)

Cardiac Pharmaceutical Agents

Heart Disease Biomarkers and Screening Tests

Myocardial T1 and T2 Mapping

Cardiothoracic Surgery

How the Heart Pumps Blood

Structure and Function of the Heart

Limiting Cardiovascular Risk Using Akkermansia

Artificial Intelligence in Cardiology

See more featured articles »

Cardiothoracic Imaging Techniques

Hidden Signs of Heart Problems

Latest Cardiology News and Research

4D digital heart model transforms treatment for heart failure patients

A made-in-Calgary 4D heart model is transforming treatment for heart failure patients having a specialized pacemaker inserted, called cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

24 Mar 2026

Small, combined improvements to sleep, diet and physical activity may yield major heart benefits

New research shows that small improvements to sleep, diet quality, and physical activity, made in combination, are associated with a significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attacks, and heart failure.

24 Mar 2026

Excessive screen time linked to worse cardiovascular risk factors

People who reported spending six or more hours on screens outside of school or work had worse blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) compared with those with more limited screen time, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

24 Mar 2026

Medicare reforms improve medication adherence among older adults with heart disease

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease or major cardiovascular risk factors reported less cost-related medication non-adherence-skipping or reducing doses, delaying prescription fills or foregoing medications due to cost-after new provisions went into effect limiting out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) and simultaneously published in JACC, the flagship journal of the ACC.

24 Mar 2026

Transportation noise linked to higher risk of major cardiac events

Living in areas with consistently higher levels of noise from transportation was associated with a significantly higher risk of major adverse cardiac events compared with living in quieter areas, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

24 Mar 2026

Extreme cold linked to sharp rise in heart-related deaths

On the heels of one of the coldest winters in memory for large swaths of the country, new research highlights an often overlooked cost of cold weather: months with lower temperatures see significantly greater rates of death from heart attacks, strokes and coronary artery disease than milder months.

24 Mar 2026

New cholesterol guidelines emphasize earlier risk assessment and prevention

New national guidance for managing cholesterol and other blood lipids emphasizes earlier risk assessment, more personalized treatment, and long-term prevention—including, in some cases, treatment beginning as early as age 30.

23 Mar 2026

AI-powered ultrasound analysis identifies high-risk heart failure cases

Applying artificial intelligence techniques to cardiac ultrasound data may make it easier to identify patients with advanced heart failure, a new study has found.

23 Mar 2026

New multiview AI architecture improves accuracy of heart disease diagnosis

Heart disease is the leading cause of adult death worldwide, making cardiovascular disease diagnosis and management a global health priority.

23 Mar 2026

AI-based ECG interpretation outperforms standard diagnosis of occlusive myocardial infarction

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based ECG interpretation outperformed standard pathways for the detection of occlusive myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study presented today at ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2026,1 the annual congress of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

23 Mar 2026

Replacing sedentary time improves insulin resistance in adolescents

Adolescents who replaced just half an hour of sedentary behaviors, such as sitting on the couch or spending time at the computer, each day for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or sleep may lower their insulin resistance, a key factor in preventing the development of Type 2 diabetes, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026.

23 Mar 2026

Early biomarker predicts cognitive impairment after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Routine early measurement of neurofilament light chain could help improve prediction of cognitive impairment after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, according to a study presented today at ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2026, the annual congress of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

23 Mar 2026

‘How low can you go?’ The shifting guidelines for blood pressure control

The patient initially came to see Mark Supiano in 2017 because her family was concerned about her short-term memory loss.

20 Mar 2026

Balancing sitting and movement may lower the risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

During pregnancy, women can reduce their risk of developing a hypertensive disorder by nearly 30% by limiting sedentary time to no more than eight hours a day and increasing light, everyday physical activity to at least seven hours a day, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026.

19 Mar 2026

Expanded access to rotational atherectomy maintains safety in PCI procedures

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a standard treatment for significant coronary artery disease. Cardiologists use a catheter to place a stent that opens up the blockage and restores blood flow to the heart.

19 Mar 2026

Young women face rising mortality rates from high blood pressure

Nearly 1 in 2 Americans has high blood pressure—sometimes called the "silent killer" because it harms the heart and blood vessels—but many people don't know they have it.

19 Mar 2026

Early morning workouts may improve cardiometabolic health

People who regularly exercised early in the morning were significantly less likely to have coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or obesity compared with people who exercised later in the day, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

19 Mar 2026

Alcohol health risks depend on beverage type and consumption habits

While high alcohol intake has been associated with worse health outcomes regardless of the type of alcohol consumed, the potential impacts of low to moderate alcohol intake appear to vary by beverage type, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

19 Mar 2026

Early menopause linked to higher lifetime heart disease risk

Women who enter natural menopause before age 40 face about a 40% higher lifetime risk of developing coronary heart disease than women who experience menopause later, according to a large Northwestern Medicine study that is the first to calculate lifetime heart risk associated with premature menopause.

18 Mar 2026