Cardiology is the study and treatment of disorders of the heart; it is a medical specialty which is involved in the care of all things associated with the heart and the arteries. A cardiologist is not the same as a cardiac surgeon – the cardiac surgeon opens the chest and performs heart surgery, a cardiologist, on the other hand, carries out tests and procedures, such as angioplasty.
Heart disease differs from cardiovascular disease, in that the latter refers to disorders and illnesses of the heart and blood vessels, while the former is only concerned with the heart.
In the USA, cardiology is a part of internal medicine. It is a discipline which includes the diagnosis, treatment, causes, as well as research into heart diseases and injuries.