There exist many professions where those in them are called upon to save lives, but few require the finesse and skill that go with cardiology. It is a field of medicine that has evolved from the trial and error of numerous decades, starting out as something crude and experimental, and ending up as an art form. In this article, we will take a closer look at two of the foremost cardiologists of the modern age, Drs. Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley.
As modern science and medicine improved, so has the health maintenance of the human body. People are able to live longer, mainly due to our ability to better take care of our physical parts and even replace them if they fail entirely. The heart, being the main engine, never stops and it never rests. The never resting engine needs special care and attention for healthy and proper function. We did not always understand the importance of the heart and how it worked. Here is a brief history of important events and figures in cardiology and how we came to understand the heart and treat it.
Early on, he showed real genius. Before he had even obtained his M.S., DeBakey invented a special pump that is a vital part of the heart-lung machine, a machine that makes open-heart surgery possible by doing the job of the lungs and heart while surgery is being performed. He also devised a system for fixing aortas. Debakey was on the first surgeons to use what is known as the Dacron graft to repair and replace blood vessels.
The next notable figure, Raymond de Vieussens, was a French anatomist. He was the first to describe the anatomy, or the structure of the heart, its chambers and vessels. In 1705, Vieussens wrote the Vessels of the Human Body, which is a classic study and resource material in the history of cardiology. In 1733, Stephen Hales, a true scholar in a variety of academic disciplines was an English man of the cloth, who made his contribution to cardiology by being the first to measure blood pressure.
By the 19th century doctors had invented the stethoscope and could now listen to the heart's live beating. By mid-20th century the electrocardiograph also known as the EKG machine had been invented. EKG allowed doctors to more closely monitor the overall performance of the heart using electrical impulses. This groundbreaking discovery led to a more easy diagnosis of arterial sclerosis (clogged arteries). The science of cardiology was advancing further and saving even more lives.
Denton Cooley is most famous for performing the first artificial heart implant. He graduated from University of Texas in 1941 and became interested in surgery because of a few pre-med classes that he had in college.
He finished his medical training at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In 1946, he served with the Army Medical Corps. During the 1950's, he went back to Houston to become a professor of surgery and to work at the Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital.
In 1957 James Jude, yet another American cardiac surgeon, lead a team to perform the first successful chest compression method. This external cardiac massage method Jude and his team studied and perfected, is the essential component of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, better known as CPR. Today, CPR is widely studied, educated and applied, and saves countless number of lives around the world.
He performed the first successful artificial heart transplant in 1969. The man lived for over 2 days with this artificial heart beating inside of him. This operation was the start of a 40 year feud between DeBakey and Cooley. Debakey was to perform the surgery, however was delayed by a speaking engagement. Cooley went ahead and performed the surgery without authorization and stole this significant event from DeBakey.
Another miraculous breakthrough in cardiology and medicine was made in 1967 by a South African surgeon, Chrstiaan Neethling Barnard. Barnard was able to, for the first time in history, perform a whole human to human heart transplant. This gave new hope to patients with even end stage heart failures or extremely serious coronary artery diseases.
As we more boldly into the 21st-century, more medical marvels await us. Biotechnology already promises a future where designer organs can be grown to match a specific patient. This is a breakthrough that could greatly reduce the risk of transplant rejection. Modern cholesterol blockers greatly decrease the chance of heart attack and disease for millions of Americans. Today's cardiologist has access to a staggering amount of new medicines. These cutting edge pharmaceuticals can lower blood pressure, control heart rate, and promote general heart health. Someday, nearly invisible nano-machines may be able to perform surgery on individual body cells. This would allow them to repair hearts from the inside out.
Their work set the gold standard, and literally wrote the book on open-heart surgery. Because of their contribution to the field of cardiology, not only are the people that live and breathe because of them grateful, but future generations who will benefit from techniques pioneered by these men can be grateful too. The world will always owe them a debt of gratitude.
As modern science and medicine improved, so has the health maintenance of the human body. People are able to live longer, mainly due to our ability to better take care of our physical parts and even replace them if they fail entirely. The heart, being the main engine, never stops and it never rests. The never resting engine needs special care and attention for healthy and proper function. We did not always understand the importance of the heart and how it worked. Here is a brief history of important events and figures in cardiology and how we came to understand the heart and treat it.
Early on, he showed real genius. Before he had even obtained his M.S., DeBakey invented a special pump that is a vital part of the heart-lung machine, a machine that makes open-heart surgery possible by doing the job of the lungs and heart while surgery is being performed. He also devised a system for fixing aortas. Debakey was on the first surgeons to use what is known as the Dacron graft to repair and replace blood vessels.
The next notable figure, Raymond de Vieussens, was a French anatomist. He was the first to describe the anatomy, or the structure of the heart, its chambers and vessels. In 1705, Vieussens wrote the Vessels of the Human Body, which is a classic study and resource material in the history of cardiology. In 1733, Stephen Hales, a true scholar in a variety of academic disciplines was an English man of the cloth, who made his contribution to cardiology by being the first to measure blood pressure.
By the 19th century doctors had invented the stethoscope and could now listen to the heart's live beating. By mid-20th century the electrocardiograph also known as the EKG machine had been invented. EKG allowed doctors to more closely monitor the overall performance of the heart using electrical impulses. This groundbreaking discovery led to a more easy diagnosis of arterial sclerosis (clogged arteries). The science of cardiology was advancing further and saving even more lives.
Denton Cooley is most famous for performing the first artificial heart implant. He graduated from University of Texas in 1941 and became interested in surgery because of a few pre-med classes that he had in college.
He finished his medical training at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In 1946, he served with the Army Medical Corps. During the 1950's, he went back to Houston to become a professor of surgery and to work at the Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital.
In 1957 James Jude, yet another American cardiac surgeon, lead a team to perform the first successful chest compression method. This external cardiac massage method Jude and his team studied and perfected, is the essential component of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, better known as CPR. Today, CPR is widely studied, educated and applied, and saves countless number of lives around the world.
He performed the first successful artificial heart transplant in 1969. The man lived for over 2 days with this artificial heart beating inside of him. This operation was the start of a 40 year feud between DeBakey and Cooley. Debakey was to perform the surgery, however was delayed by a speaking engagement. Cooley went ahead and performed the surgery without authorization and stole this significant event from DeBakey.
Another miraculous breakthrough in cardiology and medicine was made in 1967 by a South African surgeon, Chrstiaan Neethling Barnard. Barnard was able to, for the first time in history, perform a whole human to human heart transplant. This gave new hope to patients with even end stage heart failures or extremely serious coronary artery diseases.
As we more boldly into the 21st-century, more medical marvels await us. Biotechnology already promises a future where designer organs can be grown to match a specific patient. This is a breakthrough that could greatly reduce the risk of transplant rejection. Modern cholesterol blockers greatly decrease the chance of heart attack and disease for millions of Americans. Today's cardiologist has access to a staggering amount of new medicines. These cutting edge pharmaceuticals can lower blood pressure, control heart rate, and promote general heart health. Someday, nearly invisible nano-machines may be able to perform surgery on individual body cells. This would allow them to repair hearts from the inside out.
Their work set the gold standard, and literally wrote the book on open-heart surgery. Because of their contribution to the field of cardiology, not only are the people that live and breathe because of them grateful, but future generations who will benefit from techniques pioneered by these men can be grateful too. The world will always owe them a debt of gratitude.
About the Author:
There are quite a few cardiologists Los Angeles that can provide services in case you are having heart problems. It is their expertise so they deal effectively with any kind of heart diseases and conditions.
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