Abstract
This review by Prof. Pham Manh Hung, marking the 40th anniversary of the Department of Cardiology at Hanoi Medical University, traces the historical development of cardiology worldwide, beginning with William Harvey's De Motu Cordis (1628) and progressing through key milestones: the electrocardiogram (Einthoven, 1903), cardiac catheterization (Forssmann, 1929), echocardiography (Edler-Hertz, 1952), percutaneous coronary intervention (Grüntzig, 1977), open-heart surgery (Gibbon, 1953), transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction. It reviews progress across cardiovascular subspecialties: cardiac imaging (echocardiography, CT, CMR, PET), hypertension, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias, heart failure (HFrEF/HFpEF and novel drug classes such as ARNi, SGLT2 inhibitors, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists), genomics and genetics (the Human Genome Project, GWAS, CRISPR/Cas, precision medicine), and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in clinical cardiology. The article concludes that despite remarkable advances, the global burden of cardiovascular disease remains high, calling for continued investment in basic science, equitable access to care, and a stronger focus on cardiovascular disease prevention.
