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About Cardiology
Our mission at the cardiology clinic is to be a comprehensive cardiovascular practice, committed to serving the community by providing a superior standard of care to our patients. We will maintain a warm and caring office atmosphere that promotes compassionate patient care. We will use innovative and sophisticated thinking in how we organize, implement, and deliver our services.
What is a cardiologist?
A cardiologist is a doctor with special training and skill in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
What does a cardiologist do?
Conditions treated by a cardiologist include heart attacks, heart murmurs, coronary heart disease, and hypertension.
- Interventional Cardiology
- Vein Disease
- Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
- Vascular Screening
- Structural Heart Disease/Valve Clinic/TAVR
- Heart Failure
- Arrhythmia/Permanent Pacemaker (PPM)
- Preventive Cardiology
- Diagnostic Testing
- Anticoagulation
- Chest Pain and Coronary Artery Disease
- High Blood Pressure, high cholesterol
- Congestive Heart Failure, Shortness of Breath
- Tachycardia, Atrial fibrillation, Atrial Flutter
- Syncope/Lightheaded/Faint
- Leg pain /aching/cramping/swelling
- Varicose veins, spider veins, skin discoloring/itching, ulcers
- Surgical Clearance
- Blood clots
The cardiology clinic is part of CLS Health. CLS Health is a multi-specialty medical group with over ninety providers providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care in Baytown, Friendswood, Webster, Pasadena, League City, and surrounding areas.
Cardiology FAQ
Any patient with symptoms that indicate heart disease, or patients with known risk factors for developing heart disease (family history, smoking, etc.), can benefit from a cardiovascular evaluation.
An anticoagulant is a drug (blood thinner) that treats, prevents, and reduces the risk of blood clots breaking off and traveling to vital organs of the body, which can lead to life-threatening situations.
Interventional cardiologists are trained in general cardiology, and then continue on for additional specialized training in interventional cardiology. This extra training allows them to perform minimally invasive procedures involving small incisions and catheters instead of traditional surgery. These procedures are used to diagnose and treat diseases such as heart valve disorders, coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, endocarditis, and peripheral artery disease.
Severe pressure, squeezing, pain, or discomfort in the chest; Pain or discomfort that spreads into the shoulders, neck, arms, or jaw; chest pain; difficulty swallowing; low blood pressure
When the heart experiences a cardiac rhythm disturbance, an electrophysiology study (ESP) can be done to locate the source of the irregularity. An ESP is done in an EP lab by a specialist. You will receive an IV and a sedative, then the doctor will insert a catheter that is guided through the blood vessels to the heart chambers. The catheters are attached to a device that measures the electrical impulses inside your heart.
Congestive heart failure happens when the heart muscle fails to supply enough blood flow to vital organs. Factors that can cause heart failure include coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, aging, alcohol abuse, viral infections, heart valve disorders, and thyroid disorders.
Many people are unaware of the effects sleep disorders can have on the cardiovascular system. Sleep Apnea is the most common type of Sleep Disordered Breathing. It can occur when the upper airway becomes blocked repeatedly during sleep, thus reducing or completely stopping airflow.
Obesity, smoking, uncontrolled high blood pressure/cholesterol/diabetes, lifestyle and family history of heart disease
Many different factors determine the answer to this. These factors include:
If you are taking it for a blood clot, atrial fibrillation or an artificial valve
If you have a blood disorder
If you are tolerating the blood thinner
Yes, if you are placed on an anticoagulant drug, a cardiologist is able to check your INR. We are able to provide in-office INR finger sticks.
Many of the risk factors as described previously determine when you should get evaluated by a cardiologist. Age 40-50 is a good timeframe to establish a baseline. Earlier, if you start to experience any of these symptoms: chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations (fluttering/pounding of the heart), and passing out.
A heart healthy diet and exercise is always suggested, but if you have any cardiac history, it would be recommended to be evaluated by a cardiologist first.
Varicose veins are a progress disease called Venous Insufficiency. Venous insufficiency develops when the valves in the veins are not closing properly, causing the blood flow to return to the foot. A special ultrasound called a reflux study will be used to determine the severity of the disease. This condition can cause varicose veins, skin discoloration, swelling and possible ulceration to the legs.
Your cardiologist can prescribe medications that can assist in lowering or raising your blood pressure. There are lifestyle changes, such as decreasing salt intake, can improve blood pressure, but consult your cardiologist to determine what is best for you.
Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the nervous system making people more alert. It is known to increase heart contractions and increase blood pressure in some patients. Caffeine can be the cause of rapid or irregular heartbeats and high blood pressure in certain patients. This may lead to palpitations and possible weakening of the heart muscle due to making your heart over work. Caffeine has the ability to hurt your heart if overused.
Your cardiologist does consider immediate family history of heart disease when doing an evaluation. Having a family history of myocardial infarction, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes is important in determining your cardiac care.
Patients who have diabetes have an increased chance in developing heart disease and prone to have a myocardial infarction and/or stroke. It is good to consult your cardiologist to determine your risk factors with diabetes.
A patient with congestive heart failure should always be cautious on fluid intake. A personalized fluid restriction regimen can be recommended by your cardiologist.
Palpitations are a sensation of fast or irregular heartbeat. This can be something as benign as premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) or something more serious, as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
Back pain can be a result of musculoskeletal pain as well as cardiac pain. All pain should be addressed. Depending on your history and risk factors, a cardiology work-up may be needed.
Many things can cause this feeling from gas pains to a myocardial infarction. If you are experiencing these symptoms, please contact 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. From there, you may follow up with a cardiologist.
Venous insufficiency could be the culprit to restless leg feelings. Other symptoms include Leg swelling, itching, varicose veins, spider veins, open ulcers, and leg heaviness/pain.
If you are experiencing dizziness with position change, this could be a result of low blood pressure. Seeing a cardiologist can determine if medication changes are needed to prevent this feeling.
Yes. Ulcerations to the leg could be a result from venous insufficiency and can be treated with Vein Ablations. This will reroute the blood from the incompetent vein to healthier veins in the legs.
A Heart healthy diet is always recommended for lowering cholesterol levels as well as exercise. Some people may require medication to lower the cholesterol levels as well.
This could be a result of poor blood circulation to the feet. This can be determined by an arterial ultrasound. Other factors may not be cardiac related, such as diabetic neuropathy.
This can be multifactorial depending on the patient. If a patient is able to change their lifestyle and their blood pressure responds appropriately, then the medications may be altered or discontinued. Following up with a cardiologist is recommended.
Ejection fraction, also known as EF, is the amount of blood leaving your heart when it contracts. It is calculated as a percentage, with 55% being the normal.
A cardiac clearance is something you may need if you are going to undergo surgery. Depending on the type of surgery and the surgeon, they may require additional testing such as EKG, echocardiogram and/or nuclear tress test as well as an evaluation from a cardiologist to clear someone for surgery. It’s important to determine if your heart is healthy enough to sustain you through surgery.
Every person with atrial fibrillation experiences different symptoms, but some symptoms include rapid/irregular heart beat, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
An EKG (also known as electrocardiogram or ECG) shows the electricity pattern of your heart. It can give insight to the electrical signals of your heart and if you possibly have had, or are currently having, a myocardial infarction. Certain EKG changes could indicate blockage in your heart. This would warrant further testing, such as a nuclear stress test.
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Cardiology Clinic
600 N. Kobayashi Rd.
