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The Heart of Cardiology
The root card- (closely related to cord) shows up in many heart-related words. Cardiologists frequently find themselves studying cardiograms, the charts of heart activity, made by machines called cardiographs. Heart attacks, and deaths caused by them, have both declined as a result of better medical emergency procedures, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and a decline in smoking. But the factors likely to actually improve heart health, such as better diets and more cardiovascular exercise (exercise, such as running, that improves the heart and blood vessels), haven't made any progress at all. So we should all be prepared to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (an emergency procedure done on someone whose heart has stopped, to get the heart and lungs working again).
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“Cardiology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardiology. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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