Cardiac surgery involves surgery on the heart or heart valves. A cardiac surgeon performs heart surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass surgery, on patients who have heart disease or heart valve disorders. Reasons that may make heart surgery necessary are: coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects, disease of the heart valves, or heart attack. Some heart conditions can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle, and can be fatal.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Missouri has 6 practicing cardiac surgeons. Broken out by city, cardiac surgery doctor density in Branson is 1, in Cape Girardeau is 1, in Columbia is 2, in Kansas City is 1, and in Saint Charles is 1.

Missouri is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri river on the west. Missouri became a state in 1821, and its population is 5,800,310. Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri, though Kansas City is the largest. When in St. Louis, take a ride up the Gateway Arch, enjoy a riverboat cruise, or visit the unique International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. Two presidents are from Missouri: Ulysses S. Grant and Harry Truman, and scores of famous people, such as Walt Disney, Vincent Price, Brad Pitt, writer Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), outlaw Jesse James, frontierswoman Calamity Jane, baseball great Yogi Berra, and musicians Chuck Berry, Sheryl Crow, and jazz musician Charlie “Bird” Parker.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Missouri has a population of 5,800,310. Of this population, 1,344,902 are under the age of 18 and 768,463 are at or above the age of 65.