Interventional Cardiology

Laredo Physicians Group provides patients with an individualized approach to heart care that includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation.

What Is an Interventional Cardiologist?

Interventional cardiologists coordinate care with other members of the healthcare team, such as emergency care physicians and cardiothoracic surgeons, to help put patients on the road to recovery. The faster a heart attack patient receives artery-clearing intervention, the better the chance of survival and recovery.

Heart and Vascular Conditions We Treat

Interventional cardiologists at Laredo Physicians Group diagnose and treat a broad range of heart and vascular conditions. These conditions include, but are not limited to:

Venous Disease

Venous diseases can occur when vein walls are damaged and impair blood flow to the rest of the body. There are several reasons why this may occur, ranging from injury to aging. Because of the range of ways that vein damage can occur, venous disease is quite common.

There are several types of venous disease, including:

• Varicose Veins: Varicose veins are swollen or twisted veins that appear near the surface of the skin. Varicose veins occur when blood flow is stagnated or obstructed. While varicose veins don’t typically pose serious health risks – as they are often associated with aging – they can be alleviated by a medical professional if they cause physical or cosmetic discomfort.
• Superficial Thrombophlebitis: Thrombophlebitis is an inflammation in the vein, most commonly the legs, that occurs in response to a blood clot. Superficial thrombophlebitis is categorized as when this occurs in a vein near the surface, usually identifiable by a red, swollen vein area.
• Deep-vein Thrombophlebitis: Unlike superficial thrombophlebitis – which tends to be a minor, and more noticeable condition – when you have a deep-vein thrombophlebitis, the swelling occurs in a larger vein far beneath the skin. Deep-vein thrombophlebitis is often asymptomatic because of this. Deep-vein thrombophlebitis carries an increased risk of much more serious conditions, such as pulmonary embolism and chronic venous insufficiency, which are serious health conditions.

You should call your doctor if you are noticing symptoms related to these conditions, including soreness or new swelling of veins that doesn’t change.

Blocked Arteries

Blocked Arteries occur when fatty or fibrous tissue build up in the arteries. This can cause serious conditions like heart disease and even heart attacks. There are several risk factors that can contribute to blocked arteries, including but not limited to:

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Obesity

If you have any of these risk factors, talk to a doctor about ways to mitigate your chances of blocked arteries. Often, changes in lifestyle, diet or medication can help reduce these risks. If you have a blocked or hardened artery, then you may need to undergo surgery to open or clear the blockage.

Heart Rhythm Disorders

Heart rhythm disorders, or arrhythmias, occur when the electrical signals that control the heartbeat are received improperly. This can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. There are several different types of heart rhythm disorders, but they fall into two main categories: tachycardia, when the heart beats too fast, and bradycardia, when the heart beats too slow. Heart rhythm disorders are categorized by long-term irregular heartbeat. You may also have other symptoms, including:

• Anxiety
• Feeling very tired
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Sweating
• Fainting or almost fainting
• A fluttering or pounding feeling in the chest
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath

You should talk to your doctor if you experience these symptoms consistently, as heart rhythm disorders can cause serious health problems if left untreated. These disorders may be treated non-invasively with lifestyle or medication changes, or may require serious treatment, including surgery, depending on the condition of the disorder.

Advanced Cardiovascular Procedures We Provide

Laredo Physicians Group offers advanced procedures to help address serious conditions, including some listed above. These procedures are performed by a highly trained and skilled team using minimally invasive techniques to prioritize patient comfort and promote efficient recovery.

Some of the advance procedures offered by Laredo Physicians Group include:

• Venous Ablation: This is a minimally invasive procedure to help reduce discomfort and appearance of varicose veins by rerouting blood to healthy veins.
• Thrombectomy: A thrombectomy is a procedure to remove blood clots from veins and arteries. The severity of the procedure will depend on the size, seriousness and location of the blood clot. In some cases, a surgical balloon or stent will be placed in the vein following a thrombectomy to help the vein remain open.
• Atherectomy: An atherectomy helps remove plaque and build up from arteries, to help prevent events such as clots or blockages. This minimally invasive procedure is designed to restore blood flow by scraping build up from the interior of the vein with a small, bladed catheter.

Other cardiac catheterization procedures we perform include:

• AngioJet™ for removing blood clots in coronary arteries
• Angioplasty and balloon angioplasty to open blocked coronary arteries
• Carotid, coronary and peripheral stents to increase blood flow in areas blocked by plaque
• Internal cardiac defibrillators to help correct cardiac arrhythmias
• Intravascular ultrasound to view the inside of a coronary artery
• Mitral valve clip to repair a damaged mitral valve
• Peripheral angiography to help find narrowed or blocked areas in arteries
• Patient foramen ovale (PFO) closure to help close a hole in the heart wall
• Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) to open a blocked blood vessel
• Renal angiography to view the blood vessels in your kidneys
• Temporary and permanent pacemakers to help control your heartbeat
• Thrombolytic therapy (TPS, urokinase) to dissolve or break up blood clots

Your doctor may recommend any of these procedures depending on your diagnosis. Be sure to ask your care team any questions regarding the procedure so you can have the clearest idea of your care options.

Patient-Centered Approach

At Laredo Physicians Group, we are committed to a patient-centered approach. This means that you, as the patient, are not only the ‘why’ behind what we do, but also one of the driving forces of how we do what we do. We achieve this by utilizing a team-based philosophy to care, including both doctors, patients and other care professionals all on the same team, to help ensure the best outcomes for our patients.

Patient Story: Heart Attack Care and Cardiac Rehab

Eduardo was having chest pains so he went to Doctors Hospital of Laredo where he discovered he had a heart attack. He was treated and is now in cardiac rehab where he is regaining his strength. He tells his story in the video below.