Heart the Basic Work of the Heart

¶ … Heart

The basic work of the heart is to pump blood to the entire body. It performs two types of functions, electrical and mechanical. The electrical function of the heart is the periodic contraction that is triggered by the pacemaker. The pacemaker generates the pumping effect throughout the heart. This pumping action commonly known as action potential is carried in an electrical conduction system. The mechanical function is the fluidic movement of blood; the heart is a pump. The heart's anatomical features include; ventricle, which is the pump, heart valves; that allow blood to flow one way and the atria, which includes the four chambers of the heart. The heart is susceptible to disease and as a result if unable to pump blood can lead to failure in other body organs.

Treated Heart Conditions

Cardiology is generally a field of medicine focusing on diagnosis and treatment of the heart. Discussed here are some conditions of the heart, there causes and symptoms. According to Marill (2012), Ventricular fibrillation occurs when the heart's electrical impulses are unsynchronized. When this happens, the right and left ventricles unusually contract fast disabling them from pumping enough blood to the body. This condition may occur without notice and when it does, thorough medical tests are recommended to get a clear prospective of the disease. Marill explains that Angina pectoris and myocardial infarction result from build up of plaque around the coronary artery leading to clogging and narrowing of the walls. The narrowing deprives the myocardium of oxygen and necessary nutrients. In some instances, heart defects and other infections can affect the pacemaker node; this can result to irregular and slow heart rhythm: a condition known as bradycardia. Symptoms associated with this condition are fatigue and chest pains. Aneurysms of the aorta is the swelling of the heart's aorta twice the normal size on the side. This happens due to weakening of the walls or because of other medical conditions such as atherosclerosis. However, this may bring about internal bleeding and an excruciating pain to the patient; if not urgently treated, sudden death may occur.

Common Heart Procedures

Cardiologists perform diagnostic and curative procedures in assisting patients with heart conditions. According to Heartmart (2007), cardiologists use catheterization to diagnose heart conditions; this procedure determines the heart's pressure. They can also determine clogging in the arteries by injecting dye, a procedure also known as coronary angiography. This procedure can be performed alongside coronary angioplasty. Once the condition has been identified, there are various procedures at the cardiologists' disposal to manage them.

Coronary artery bypass is a commonly used procedure to treat heart failure or attack caused by narrowing of the artery. Here the abnormal artery is replaced by another from the body. "Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting" (Puskas, et al., 2003), is an improvent of the former, it assures total revascularization and limited myocardial injury. Angiopasty is another common technique applied in instances where the patient's arteries are clogged with plaque. It is the non-surgical option of treating the narrowing of heart arteries. Heart transplant is another procedure and is the most involving surgical procedure. According to Fishbein (2012), there are 4,000 people in the United States of America (USA) who need heart transplant, unfortunately only half of them can benefit from the available donor hearts. He continues that complete cardiac interruption is responsible for the demand. It is critical to note that heart transplant can only be performed on patients without any active infections and with sound body organs.

Current Procedural Technology Codes

All diagnostic cardiac catheterization services use a single code. According to American Medical Association (2011), some of the new diagnostic codes are; 93451, representing catheterization of the right side of the heart, determining oxygen saturation as well as cardiac output. Code 93452, represents catheterization of the left side of the heart, injections within the procedure and imaging test. Also included is supervision and interpretation.

Code 93453 describes catheterization of both sides of the heart including injections within the procedure for left image testing including supervision and interpretation. Code 93454 is for placement of catheter in artery of the heart for X-ray using radio contrast and procedural injections as well as supervision and interpretation. Code 93455 almost similar to 93454 represents placement of catheter in artery of the heart for X-ray using radio contrast. The procedure includes procedural injections as well as supervision and interpretation. The difference is placement of catheter in the bypass graft and related injections.

In addition, the following codes describe revascularization; Code 37223 describes percutaneous insertion of catheter into the iliac artery, each additional same side iliac vessel; stent placement through lumen. This also includes X-ray using radio contrast within the same vessel. Code 37225 describes percutaneous insertion of catheter into the femoral, popliteal artery, of the same side; with atherectomy. The procedure also includes angioplasty within the same vessel. Code 37228 describes percutaneous unilateral insertion of catheter into the tibial, peroneal artery including X-ray using radio contrast across lumen. Code 37233 describes percutaneous unilateral insertion of catheter into the tibial, peroneal artery, each additional vessel; with atherectomy. The procedure also includes angioplasty within the same vessel.

Code 37235 describe percutaneous unilateral insertion of catheter into tibial, peroneal artery, each additional vessel; stent placement through lumen and atherectomy. Description includes angioplasty within the same vessel.

The above listed and discussed codes can be used alongside modifiers. According to Neighborhood Health Plan (2011), modifier 62 is where two surgeons perform a procedure, modifier 66, which denotes procedure by a medical team and modifier 76, which denote a repeat procedure. Modifier 57 denoting that there was a decision to perform a procedure and modifier 56 when a surgeon prepares a patient for a procedure to be performed by another surgeon.