Month: February 2026

Ventricular Septal Defect is a hole in the wall (septum) that separates the right and left ventricles. It is a structural heart condition and a type of congenital heart defect, though it can also be acquired in specific settings. It is commonly encountered in pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease clinics. It also appears in adult cardiology, including adult congenital follow-up and rare post–myocardial infarction complications.

Atrial Septal Defect is a hole or opening in the wall (septum) between the right and left atria. It is a structural heart condition and a form of congenital heart disease (present from birth). It commonly creates abnormal blood flow (a shunt) between the atria. It is often encountered in pediatric cardiology, adult congenital cardiology, and general cardiology during evaluation of murmurs, right heart enlargement, or unexplained stroke.

Endomyocardial Biopsy is a procedure that removes tiny samples of heart muscle for laboratory analysis. It is an invasive diagnostic test performed in a cardiac catheterization setting. It is most often encountered in heart transplant care and in selected cases of suspected myocarditis or infiltrative cardiomyopathy. Its main purpose is to provide tissue-level confirmation when imaging and blood tests are not enough.

Cardiac Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory condition where sarcoidosis involves the heart muscle and electrical system. It is a **disease/condition**, not a single symptom or test. It is commonly encountered in cardiology when evaluating unexplained arrhythmias, conduction disease, or cardiomyopathy. It also comes up when patients with known systemic sarcoidosis develop cardiac symptoms or abnormal cardiac testing.

Cardiac Amyloidosis is a condition where misfolded proteins deposit in the heart muscle. It is a form of infiltrative cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure and arrhythmias. It is commonly encountered when evaluating unexplained thickened heart walls or “heart failure with preserved ejection fraction” (HFpEF). It is also considered when cardiac symptoms occur alongside systemic findings such as neuropathy or abnormal blood proteins.

Inherited Cardiomyopathy is a group of heart muscle conditions caused, at least in part, by genetic variants passed through families. It is a medical condition (not a symptom or a test) that changes how the myocardium (heart muscle) is built or how it functions. It is commonly encountered in cardiology clinics, heart failure care, sports cardiology, and inherited arrhythmia or genetics services. It often comes up when evaluating unexplained heart failure, thickened heart muscle, arrhythmias, or a family history of sudden cardiac death.

Cardiac Genetics is the study and clinical application of how inherited and de novo genetic variants influence heart and blood vessel disease. It is a clinical and laboratory discipline, not a single disease, and it often includes genetic testing and family-based risk assessment. It is commonly encountered in cardiology when evaluating cardiomyopathies, inherited arrhythmia syndromes, familial hypercholesterolemia, and heritable aortopathies. It helps connect a patient’s phenotype (observable features) to an underlying molecular cause and to implications for relatives.

MINOCA stands for **myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries**. It is a **clinical syndrome (working diagnosis)** that looks like a heart attack but lacks a major coronary blockage on angiography. MINOCA is commonly encountered in **acute coronary syndrome** pathways in emergency and inpatient cardiology. It prompts clinicians to look for **alternative coronary and non-coronary mechanisms** of myocardial (heart muscle) injury.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection is a condition where a tear or bleeding occurs within the wall of a coronary artery. It can reduce blood flow to the heart muscle and cause an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). It is commonly encountered in emergency cardiology when evaluating chest pain and heart attack presentations. It is distinct from the more typical heart attack mechanism related to atherosclerotic plaque rupture.

Microvascular Angina is a clinical condition that causes angina-like chest discomfort from dysfunction in the heart’s small coronary vessels. It belongs to the category of ischemic heart disease syndromes, often discussed within “angina with non-obstructive coronary arteries.” It is commonly encountered when patients have typical angina symptoms but coronary angiography does not show major epicardial artery blockages. It is a key topic in chest pain evaluation, coronary physiology, and ischemia without classic obstructive coronary artery disease.