What You Need to Know About Atrial Fibrillation
If you have an irregular heartbeat, you’d feel it, right? Not always, and especially not if you have atrial fibrillation, also called AFib. Learning about AFib is the key to preventing the problem or catching it at an early stage, before you end up in the hospital with a stroke. Dr. Laura Fernandes and the team at Woodlands […]
Life After a Heart Attack
Relief that you survived your heart attack is followed by waves of thoughts and emotions. You may have questions about your recovery and worry about how to prevent a second heart attack. Sometimes you’ll feel ready to get back to your life, and other times you’ll feel weak, exhausted, and depressed. The first thing to know is […]
What Can You Expect From a Stress Test
Stress tests are one of the most important tools for diagnosing the cause of symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Why? Because stress tests allow us to see how well your heart works when it must pump more blood than normal. Then that information gives us the ability to customize your treatment. As […]
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Chest Pain
Chest pain is the top symptom of a heart attack. If you’re having a heart attack, every minute you wait to seek help increases your risk of permanent heart muscle damage and death. Yet half of all people with chest pain delay going to the hospital for at least four hours. Laura Fernandes, MD, FACC, and the […]
Lifestyle Adjustments for Living With Hypertension
Making a lifestyle change is never easy, but it’s worth the effort. For most people with hypertension, diet and exercise have the power to tame their high blood pressure without medication. And even if you need medication, your lifestyle choices are a key part of maintaining normal blood pressure for the long run. Patients at Woodlands Heart […]
Is Angina a Precursor to a Heart Attack?
Angina, or chest pain, is often the first symptom of heart disease. It serves as a precursor to a future heart attack and it’s also a sign that you’re currently having a heart attack. Would it surprise you to learn that many people initially ignore angina? That’s because chest pain isn’t always an obvious, sharp, heart-related pain. You […]
What an Echocardiogram Can Reveal About Your Heart
When you have symptoms that suggest a heart problem, an echocardiogram is one of the first diagnostic tests that’s performed. Echocardiograms are safe, they produce immediate images of your heart, and they can be done right in our office at the same time as your exam at Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute. Don’t hesitate to call our office […]
How an Atrial Fibrillation Screening Can Help Prevent a Stroke
There’s no doubt that atrial fibrillation increases your risk for stroke, and its impact is substantial. When you have atrial fibrillation, your chances of having a stroke are as much as five times higher compared to people with a healthy heart. At Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute, Dr. Laura Fernandes and our team offer comprehensive cardiovascular care for each patient. That means […]
When Varicose Veins Are Symptomatic
If you’re one of the 35% of adults with varicose veins, chances are you’re embarrassed by the appearance of these bulgy, ugly veins. But you may not expect to face challenges beyond cosmetic issues. Many patients who come to Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute didn’t anticipate the pain and discomfort of varicose veins. They also weren’t aware that […]