cardiology

noun

car·​di·​ol·​o·​gy ˌkär-dē-ˈä-lə-jē 

: the study of the heart and its action and diseases

cardiological

ˌkär-dē-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

cardiologist

ˌkär-dē-ˈä-lə-jist 

noun

Did you know?

The Heart of Cardiology

The root card- (closely related to cord) shows up in many heart-related words. Cardiologists frequently find themselves studying cardiograms, the charts of heart activity, made by machines called cardiographs. Heart attacks, and deaths caused by them, have both declined as a result of better medical emergency procedures, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and a decline in smoking. But the factors likely to actually improve heart health, such as better diets and more cardiovascular exercise (exercise, such as running, that improves the heart and blood vessels), haven't made any progress at all. So we should all be prepared to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (an emergency procedure done on someone whose heart has stopped, to get the heart and lungs working again).

Examples of cardiology in a Sentence

a doctor who specializes in cardiology

Recent Examples on the Web

Cleveland Clinic, a national leader in cardiology and heart and vascular surgery, will provide on-site expertise in cardiovascular care by establishing processes and best practices and fostering a culture of innovation, according to the release. —Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 25 Sep. 2024

But high blood pressure is not just a disease of adults, says Thomas Kimball, MD, the director of cardiology at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 16 Sep. 2024

The hospital, which specializes in cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, says that many alternative cancer treatments are unproven and some may even be dangerous, but there are a few that are generally safe. —Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024

Still, more than 20% of patients with heart attacks and 30% of patients with heart failure were not seen by either a primary care or a cardiology clinician within 30 days of leaving the hospital. —Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

cardiology

noun

car·​di·​ol·​o·​gy ˌkärd-ē-ˈäl-ə-jē 

plural cardiologies

: the study of the heart and its action and diseases

cardiological

-ē-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

cardiologist

-ē-ˈäl-ə-jəst 

noun