Steps You Can Take if Heart Problems Run in Your Family
The worst thing you can do is to accept your family history and genetics as your destiny. You can change the course of your life and prevent heart disease no matter what your family history says. The team at Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute has helped many patients reclaim their heart health and enjoy active, thriving lives […]
What to Do About Chest Pain
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack and at least two-thirds of them experience chest pain. In addition to being the top sign of a heart attack, chest pain is the primary symptom of cardiovascular conditions. When you have chest pain, the challenge is deciding if you should call 911 or schedule an appointment […]
Heart Healthy Tips Every Woman Should Know
Not long ago, women didn’t have as many heart attacks as men. But those days are gone. Women now do have as many heart attacks as men. Compared to men, women are more likely to die in the years after a heart attack. Overall, one in five women die from cardiovascular disease. These numbers don’t have to dictate your future because […]
What to Expect From Stress Testing
Stress testing provides unique information about the health of your heart. This type of test is currently the only way to learn how well your heart works when it’s forced to pump more blood than normal. You may need a stress test when you have symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, or an irregular […]
Are Varicose Veins a Health Concern?
Most people don’t seek treatment for varicose veins until they’re tired of being embarrassed by the ugly, bulging veins or they start having symptoms like leg pain. But with or without symptoms, varicose veins are always a red flag warning that you could be headed for serious health concerns. Unfortunately, the condition that’s responsible for varicose veins, […]
Signs You Have Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It also accounts for 42% of heart-related deaths in the United States. Most people can prevent CAD with lifestyle changes. But if you already have the disease, recognizing the symptoms gives you the chance to seek treatment, a step that you should never put […]
Adjusting to Life With Hypertension
Most people need to make life adjustments after they develop hypertension (high blood pressure). The reason is simple: Lifestyle changes and medications are the only treatments. Your daily habits have such an impact that lifestyle changes alone may get your blood pressure back to normal. Whether you face big changes or only need to make a few […]
Anxiety and Chest Pain: Are They Linked?
Chest pain is a frightening experience that sends many people to the emergency room. Nearly half of them learn they don’t have a heart problem. Of those, 30-40% discover that anxiety was the culprit. In short, anxiety and chest pain share a close relationship, but that doesn’t mean you can assume anxiety is to blame. You can’t risk delaying medical […]
What Happens During an Echocardiogram?
When you experience symptoms that signal a potential heart problem, we need a quick-and-easy way to look at the structures in your heart and see how they’re working. That’s when we turn to an echocardiogram. An echocardiogram provides the invaluable information that Dr. Laura Fernandes at Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute needs to diagnose the source of your symptoms and […]
Five Heart-Healthy Habits That Could Elongate Your Life
Following five lifestyle habits can lower your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 82%. They can also make you 65% less likely to die from cancer. And choosing to embrace these five healthy habits may extend your life by 12-14 years. Dr. Laura Fernandes at Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute has encouraged our patients to follow heart-healthy lifestyle tips for […]