As one of our board certified vascular surgeons, Dr. Nicolas Zea performs a variety of complex procedures, and his dedication to patient care and service is exceptional. What you might not know about him is that he is also an avid adventurer, running ultra marathons and traveling far and wide to embark on trail run [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
CTVS patient and marathon runner, Alejandra Saitas, shared her stroke survival story with Nicole Villalpando from the Austin American Statesman in honor of Stroke Awareness Month to help educate others about the lesser-known symptoms she experienced that took her by surprise. You can read her story below or find it on the Austin American Statesman website here. [...]
May is American Stroke Awareness Month. A stroke takes place when blood vessels that supply oxygen to the brain become blocked or rupture, resulting in damaged brain cells and potentially even permanent brain damage or death. Sadly, stroke continues to be one of the leading causes of death and disability in our country. Imagine not [...]
It’s hard to believe that every six minutes someone dies from a blood clot here in the United States. Blood clots are gel-like masses that form inside your arteries or veins anywhere in the body. Blood clots are unfortunately hard to recognize, but because March is Blood Clot Awareness Month, our team of board-certified cardiothoracic [...]
According to the CDC, every 40 seconds someone suffers from a stroke in the United States. Unfortunately, nearly every four seconds, someone also dies from one. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, causing parts of the body to rapidly weaken and/or stop functioning. At CTVS, stroke awareness and prevention is [...]
It’s been more than five years since CTVS was the first practice in Central Texas to pioneer use of the GORE® TAG® Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis (TBE) in a pivotal research study for treating aortic disease. More recently, our own board-certified cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons Dr. Mark Felger and Dr. Nicolas Zea became the first physicians [...]
Approximately 37 million Americans are currently living with diabetes - that’s about one out of every ten people. Diabetes is a serious condition that affects the way the body processes food, particularly sugar. If diabetes is not managed properly, it can have severe side effects, especially on the vascular system. The vascular system is the [...]
While stroke is a serious and potentially deadly condition, a Central Texas man is using humor and songwriting as part of his healing process. On November 9, 2021, Chuck King was working as an insurance agent and speaking to one of his coworkers, when suddenly his right side went numb. Knowing something felt off, he [...]
