Great question! Your friend is entirely right.
Not many people know this, but there are actually 3 main "types" of cardiologists in Singapore, according to their further sub-specialty training and qualifications. These are:
- Non-Invasive Cardiologist
- Interventional Cardiologist
- Electrophysiologists (EP)
1. Non-Invasive Cardiologist
Non-invasive heart doctors manage patients in the outpatient setting. Their role is to prevent and manage heart-related problems, such as hypertension and heart failure.
They are adept at performing diagnostic heart screening tests to uncover heart issues, such as exercise tests or MRI imaging.
2. Interventional Cardiologists
Invasive heart doctors receive additional sub-specialty and fellowship training in performing "angioplasties", or cardiac catheterizations.
This is my role of expertise, and I often liken it to "plumbing" as it involves unblocking clogged heart arteries. Interventional cardiology is also a field that one has to be deeply passionate about, as you have to perform the procedure countless times before becoming an expert.
I've accumulated years of experience in interventional cardiology by practicing in high-volume centres in Singapore such as the National Heart Centre Singapore, National University Heart Centre and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
3. Electrophysiologists (EP)
Electrophysiology is the study of bio-electrical impulses of heart. These electrical impulses control the pace of one’s heartbeat. When this stops functioning, abnormal heart rhythms can result.
Not very long ago, inserting a pacemaker was the only option to correct irregularities of the heart. However, EPs can now administer drug therapy, or burn away nerves that cause malfunctioning of the heart in order to treat abnormal heart rhythms.
