The cardiovascular system constitutes blood, vessels, and heart. According to Rushmer (2013), the circulation system is the body’s main transport system since it carries essential products such as food and oxygen to tissues and cells. In addition, it eliminates carbon dioxide and other waste products. While the heart pumps blood to different areas of the body, vessels act as passageways and blood as oxygen or carbon dioxide carriers.
Some of the diseases affecting the cardiovascular system include heart attack, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias. The latter results in an abnormal heartbeat while coronary artery disease narrows the main blood vessels through fatty deposits. On the other hand, the heart muscle can be affected by cardiomyopathy.
There are two main laboratory tests for diagnosing cardiovascular and circulatory ailments. First, the lipid profile examination tests cholesterol, HDL-C, triglycerides, and LDL-C. The lipid profiling is a group of diagnostic tests examining the fat types and amounts in the blood. The second test is hs-CRP that detects low ‘C’ reactive protein concentrations. It is an inflammation marker that the doctors associate with atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.
The healthcare providers in the circulatory and cardiovascular department include primary care physicians, thoracic and cardiac surgeons and cardiologists. Vascular surgeons have expertise in blood vessel surgery (Ferraris et al., 2014). They advise patients and provide medical assistance to the sick in the society. On the other hand, cardiologists treat heart disorders besides implanting pacemakers. In the facility, they are responsible for running day-to-day operations and budgeting for medical requirements. In addition, they train junior staff to ensure smooth flow of operations in the hospital. The main clients for vascular surgeons and cardiologists include children with heart disorders and elderly heart attack patients. In most cases, the patients are of both genders and fall within 45-80 years.
- Ferraris, V. A., Ferraris, S. P., Saha, S. P., Hessel, E. A., Haan, C. K., Royston, B. D., & Spiess, B. D. (2014). Perioperative Blood Transfusion and Blood Conservation in Cardiac Surgery: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and The Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Clinical Practice Guideline. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 83(5), S27-S86.
- Rushmer, R. F. (2013). Organ Physiology: Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular System.
