There are a variety of things that go wrong with the heart. Some are genetic. On a more basic level we try to understand some of the diseases. We look for long-term cures in terms of providing quality of life. The concept that a doctor can cure everything is a problem with the American culture.
Medicine is more an art than a science.
A good doctor knows things that aren't in textbooks. It is difficult to bring a patient who's had a bad case of heart disease back to 100 percent. We try to be realistic. And in the current era of health-care reform and cost consciousness in medicine, every aspect of the profession has to reckon with the bottom line. Yoganathan argues that bioengineering helps to keep costs down by aiding diagnosis and promoting preventive care.