Nearly half of all adults (48%) in the United States — or about 120 million Americans — have been diagnosed with hypertension, or high blood pressure. Many millions more (about 1 in
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for over a century. Along with stroke, it claims more American lives every year than all forms of cancer and
More than 190 million people in the United States live with some form of chronic venous disease (CVD), making the condition 1.5 times more common than heart disease and five times more common than diabetes. At Woodlands
As the leading cause of mortality for men and women across most ethnicities and racial backgrounds, heart disease accounts for one-third of all deaths in the United States each year: Every 34 seconds, another American
The leading cause of mortality in the United States has been the same for over a century: Starting in 1921 and continuing through today, heart disease claims more American lives each year than all
When you’re having a heart attack, immediate treatment can mean the difference between making a full recovery and dying. One of the most effective emergency interventions is a minimally invasive procedure
The holiday season is just around the corner, and like many Americans, you’re planning to hit the road or hop on a plane to visit distant loved ones. If you
More than 1 in 3 adults (30%) in the United States have varicose veins — dark, swollen varicosities that twist and bulge against the skin along their legs. They can lead to
A Cardiolite® nuclear stress test is a specialized diagnostic procedure that shows how well your heart functions when forced to pump more blood than usual. Experienced cardiologist Laura Fernandes, MD, FACC, at Woodlands
The initial gratitude you feel after surviving a heart attack often gives way to waves of volatile emotions. While these ups and downs are expected after such a traumatic event, significant mental
Knowing when chest pain is an emergency is crucial. The sooner you recognize a heart attack, the faster you can get treatment. Rapid treatment makes the difference between life and death and determines
Summer is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to boost your heart health by spending time outside, enjoying fresh seasonal produce, and getting more active. At the same
You may wonder if there’s any encouraging news for a heart condition like atrial fibrillation (Afib), especially considering it makes you five times more likely to have a stroke. The answer is yes. The
If you have hypertension (high blood pressure), there’s virtually no chance you’ll know. People with hypertension are blissfully unaware they have a life-threatening disease damaging their arteries. Dr. Laura Fernandes and our Woodlands
It’s upsetting when bulging, twisted, varicose veins appear, but it’s even more distressing if they suddenly worsen. And for good reason. In addition to affecting your appearance, more noticeable veins are red
A stress test reveals information about your heart that can’t be obtained through other diagnostics. Though all the different heart tests work together to create a complete picture of your heart health,
After you develop coronary artery disease (CAD), your treatment focuses on stopping its progression and preventing life-threatening complications. Depending on the stage of your CAD, you may need lifestyle interventions, medications,
Only half of adults recognize the five most common heart attack symptoms. That leaves many people who don’t know the most common signs, much less other unexpected symptoms. Dr. Laura Fernandes and our team
Many people can’t start their day without a cup of coffee or need to grab an energy drink to power through an afternoon slump. However, caffeine is also in tea,
If you recognize the signs of atrial fibrillation, you’ll know to seek prompt heart care rather than waiting to see if the symptoms go away. Early treatment makes the difference between
An upcoming echocardiogram may have you on edge and feeling anxious. While it’s natural to worry about what the result might reveal about your heart, you don’t need to fret about how
Have you ever wished your varicose veins could just disappear? Or have you considered seeking treatment but were worried about the downtime? At Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute, we can make them vanish
Your chest pain may not be a heart attack, but postponing a checkup is gambling with your health, and possibly your life. Chest pain is the most common sign of a heart attack,
Throbbing varicose veins and leg pain are warning signs that long-distance travel may be dangerous. At a bare minimum, leg pain makes travel extremely uncomfortable. In the worst scenario, you can develop
It’s estimated that nearly half of adults with hypertension (high blood pressure) are unaware they have the disease. Of those who know, only one in four have it under control. Uncontrolled hypertension puts all of them
Varicose veins are a common problem affecting one in three adults, but that doesn’t make them any less embarrassing. Unfortunately, people notice the bluish-purple, twisty, bulging veins, making them a distressing cosmetic concern
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a significant threat, not only to your daily health and well-being, but also to your life. How serious is it? CAD, the most common type of
Heart attacks take people by surprise, but they seldom happen out of the blue because the heart problems that cause heart attacks develop slowly over many years. The gradual progression of
Did you know that high blood pressure (hypertension) causes clogged, hardened arteries (atherosclerosis), coronary artery disease, heart attacks, kidney disease, and strokes? And that’s not a comprehensive list of the serious
Myocarditis occurs when your heart muscles (myocardium) become inflamed. Your symptoms may appear rapidly or gradually, and they could be mild or severe. Without treatment, myocarditis may cause permanent heart
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Considering atrial fibrillation disrupts your heartbeat, you may be surprised to learn that the condition alone isn’t usually life-threatening. But atrial fibrillation causes potentially deadly complications like a stroke. If you have
At least one-third of adults don’t get the sleep they need to stay energized and healthy. Though they’re all familiar with sleep-loss symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, most don’t
A heart-healthy diet isn’t a short-term plan with limited food options. It’s an eating plan you can follow throughout your lifetime because it includes a wide variety of satisfying, healthy
An echocardiogram is a simple and painless procedure, yet it’s one of the most valuable and essential tests for identifying problems with your heart. At Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute, Dr. Laura Fernandes and Dr. Emmanuel
Atrial fibrillation affects 1 in every 3-5 adults, making their heart beat irregularly and significantly increasing their risk of having a stroke. Our experienced cardiologists at Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute prefer to help you prevent
There’s nothing you can do about some risk factors for varicose veins. Three unchangeable factors — being over 40, female, and having a family history of varicose veins — significantly raise
After surviving a heart attack, most people feel gratitude that they survived. But heart attacks take a major toll on your mental health. As much as you want to hold on
The foods you eat directly affect your blood pressure. Some foods can help lower it; others cause high blood pressure (hypertension). Your diet is so critical that it has the
Being overweight increases your risk for heart disease, but there’s more to worry about than your overall weight. Where you carry the weight makes a dramatic difference. People with excess
Recovering from a heart attack does more than restore your health and help you return to the activities you enjoy. A successful recovery also goes a long way toward preventing another heart
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
