How to Avoid Heart Health Risks this Winter
While constant, biting cold weather in the winter months is not typically common in Central Texas, we do get a few snaps of extreme temperatures that send the mercury diving down. Sudden extreme turns in the weather can take a toll on your health, especially your cardiovascular health. Colder weather can cause blood vessels to contract and the circulatory system to work harder, potentially raising blood pressure. In addition, research shows that the number of fatal heart attacks often spikes during the winter months. At CTVS, our team of cardiothoracic and vascular specialists is dedicated to promoting heart health year-round, [...]
How CTVS Treats Diabetes Complications
Diabetes affects millions of Americans. It occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin and process blood sugar properly. If managed well through proper diet and medication, those with diabetes can lead full and active lives. There are however some serious complications commonly associated with diabetes, like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease). November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and at CTVS we’re sharing ways in which we help treat complications from diabetes that may pose very serious risks to our patients' overall health and well-being. Cardiovascular Disease When diabetes is not properly managed, blood [...]
A Mother’s Battle with Lung Cancer and the Importance of Early Detection
This Thanksgiving, 39-year-old Cherith Satterfield has much to be grateful for as she gathers with her family. The wife, mother of five, three grown and two at home, was unexpectedly diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of lung cancer earlier this year. For Cherith, the journey has been a powerful reminder to take your health seriously. A Surprising Diagnosis For nearly a year, Cherith had been battling health issues that kept her in and out of her doctor’s office. She suffered from severe leg pain, swelling and cold sensitivity. Working closely with her primary care doctor, Cherith was diagnosed with [...]
Minimally Invasive Vascular Disease Treatments
Research shows that in recent years almost half of all adults in the United States have been living with heart disease, one of the most prominent forms of vascular disease. Vascular disease affects the body’s vast network of blood vessels, veins and arteries. Common examples of vascular disease are aneurysms (a dangerous bulge in an artery wall), atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries), PAD or peripheral artery disease, and coronary and carotid artery diseases (blockages in the main arteries leading to the brain and heart). If left untreated, any of these types of vascular disease can lead to serious issues [...]
Can surgery prevent a stroke?
Did you know that one in four adults will suffer a stroke at some point in their life? A stroke occurs when the carotid arteries, the two main arteries that supply blood to the brain, become narrowed and restrict its flow. This often results from plaque build-up within the arteries known as carotid disease. Stroke can have serious consequences, such as suffering permanent brain damage, a physical disability or paralysis, or even death. At CTVS, our team of board-certified vascular specialists are experts in the surgical prevention of stroke and dedicated to raising awareness about the condition, which is the [...]
CTVS Treats Heart Failure with Expanded Team
Heart failure is a chronic condition that occurs when the heart can no longer operate efficiently on its own, or effectively pump blood throughout the body. Signs of heart failure may include difficulty breathing, a racing heartbeat/heart palpitations, fatigue, or unexplained swelling. If left untreated, this condition can prove life-threatening. Most people would assume that heart failure typically affects seniors, but younger people can suffer from it too. A study conducted over the years of 2012 to 2019 shows the rate of death due to heart failure in those aged 16 to 44 years old actually increased. With the cases [...]
The link between high blood pressure and aortic aneurysms
An aortic aneurysm is a very serious condition that occurs when the aorta (the largest artery in the body that comes off the heart) develops a bulb-like formation. If the aneurysm is not treated appropriately, it can rupture or lead to an aortic dissection, causing blood to dangerously leak out of the aorta and prove life-threatening. Factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol can accelerate aortic atherosclerotic disease, which can lead to an aortic aneurysm. As September is Aortic Disease Awareness Month, and our team of cardiothoracic experts knows a thing or two about aortic aneurysms, we’re sharing [...]
PAD Awareness Month and Treating Arterial Ulcers
It is estimated that more than 10 million Americans are living with PAD, or Peripheral Artery Disease. PAD is a serious condition affecting circulation and blood vessels, causing them to narrow from plaque buildup in the arteries and blocking blood flow to the extremities, typically the legs and feet. It is triggered by atherosclerosis, which occurs when fatty deposits or cholesterol accumulates within the arteries. September is PAD Awareness Month, and at CTVS, our board-certified vascular surgeons are helping to educate and arm you with information to prevent PAD and the many severe symptoms often accompanying this painful condition. One [...]
CTVS Welcomes Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Courtney Weber
CTVS is thrilled to welcome cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Courtney Weber to our team. She is the second female surgeon to join CTVS, and one of only two female cardiothoracic surgeons in Central Texas. Dr. Weber completed her cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD) and will be part of our experienced team that surgically manages heart failure. Her clinical specialties includes: Coronary Artery Revascularization, including Off-pump and total arterial revascularization Valve Replacement and Repair Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Heart/Lung Organ Procurement Robotic or video-assisted thoracic surgery Minimally invasive Pacemaker/CRT Laser lead extractions Transcatheter Aortic Valve [...]
Preventing Cancers by Modifying Risk Factors
New research shows that many cases of cancer and resulting deaths could have been prevented if Americans modified some of their unhealthy lifestyle habits. A study conducted in 2019 and recently published in the American Cancer Society (ASC) Journals evaluated 18 modifiable risk factors (in adults 30 years and older) and their effects on 30 different forms of cancer, such as lung cancer, something that our team of thoracic surgeons treat here at CTVS. Some of the risk factors that were studied include: Cigarette smoking Excess body weight Consumption of red and processed meats Low consumption of fruits, vegetables and [...]