How Can I Tell If This Chest Pain Is Serious
Chest pain appears in many ways. You may experience a sharp pain, dull ache, or pain spreading into your neck, arms, and upper back. The pain can come on suddenly or gradually, disappear quickly or persist. So how can you tell if chest pain is serious? Sometimes you can’t. But there are a few signs telling […]
How Often Do I Need to Get a Stress Test?
You may never need a stress test, but if you do, chances are you won’t need to worry about how often to schedule future stress tests. While some people may need a follow-up stress test, this test is most often done to diagnose the cause of heart-related symptoms. Laura Fernandes, MD, FACC, at Woodlands Heart and Vascular […]
What Problems Can My Varicose Veins Cause?
Gnarled, bulging varicose veins do much more than ruin the appearance of your legs. Sure, you may experience leg pain and cramping. But even if you don’t have leg discomfort, varicose veins are always the visible sign of an underlying vein disease that can lead to serious health complications. Dr. Laura Fernandes at Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute specializes in […]
Chest Pain During Exertion: Is It Dangerous?
Chest pain during exertion is a red flag alerting you to a potentially serious heart condition. While exercise-induced chest pain could be related to your chest muscles or lungs, it’s a classic symptom of a problem with your heart. Seeking an evaluation from Laura Fernandes, MD, FACC, at Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute is the only way to learn […]
Understanding the Three Types of Echocardiogram Testing
If you experience symptoms suggesting a heart problem, you need diagnostic tests that are fast and reliable. Most people expect to have an electrocardiogram (EKG), which shows your heart’s electrical activity. But you may not be familiar with the second crucial diagnostic test: an echocardiogram. At Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute, Dr. Laura Fernandes provides comprehensive care for your […]
8 Key Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease
Have you noticed that health care professionals seem a bit, well, obsessed over risk factors? There’s a good reason for their fixation. Risk factors are the key to preventing chronic diseases like coronary artery disease (CAD), a leading cause of death in both women and men. The way to prevent CAD is to identify your risk factors, […]
Could I Have High Blood Pressure and Not Know It
When searching online, you may find articles touting the signs of high blood pressure (hypertension). But don’t let that fool you into thinking you will have symptoms alerting you to this dangerous disease, because you won’t. In honor of May being High Blood Pressure Education Month, we want to be sure that everyone has the […]
Can Radiofrequency Ablation Make My Varicose Veins Disappear
If you’re ready (or desperate) to get rid of varicose veins forever, you may wonder about the many possible treatments — and if they really work. So let’s get straight to the bottom line: Yes! Radiofrequency ablation makes your varicose veins disappear. In fact, the treated veins permanently go away, restoring the appearance of your legs, treating […]
What Can a Stress Test Tell Me
Stress tests are one of the most important procedures for evaluating the health of your heart because they show how well your heart works when you exercise. You may not look forward to walking on a treadmill, (and if you can’t exercise, we can use medications to increase your heart rate), but pushing your heart to […]
The Dangers of Hypertension
Since hypertension (high blood pressure) doesn’t cause symptoms, the only way to know you have the disease is with routine blood pressure screening. Without screening, you can go about your daily life for years, feeling fine, and never knowing you face the dangers of hypertension. Ongoing hypertension leads to serious, life-threatening health complications. Laura Fernandes, MD, FACC, here […]