Clear Lake Regional Medical Center

Heart & Vascular Institute

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

Our award-winning cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons are dedicated to the care of patients with cardiovascular disease. We offer state-of the- art surgical treatment options and comprehensive care in an intimate, peaceful environment.

Some of the treatment options available at our Heart & Vascular Institute include:

• Coronary Artery Bypass
• Open Heart Surgery
• Valve Repair & Replacement
• Arrhythmia Surgery
• Arterial Aneurysms
• Pulmonary Surgery

Chest Pain Emergency Center

Conroe Regional Medical Center became the first hospital in Montgomery County and the Northwest region to be accredited by The Society of Chest Pain Centers. The Chest Pain Accredited Emergency Center has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluations by a review team from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Key areas in which a chest pain center must demonstrate expertise include:

• Assessing, diagnosing and treating patients quickly. With point-of-care blood testing, Conroe Regional Medical Center has the ability to diagnose a heart attack within 15 minutes of arrival.
• Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures.
• Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public about symptoms of a possible heart attack.

Heart attacks stand as the leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 650,000 dying annually of heart disease. More than 5 million Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain. The goal of the Society of Chest Pain Centers is to significantly reduce the mortality rate of these patients by recognizing and reacting to the early symptoms of a possible heart attack, reducing the time that it takes to receive treatment, and increasing the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.

Cardiac Catheterization Lab

Conroe Regional Medical Center’s three state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterization Labs offer diagnostic testing and therapeutic intervention for patients who are at risk or who have experienced a cardiovascular event. Our cardiologists perform the following diagnostic and therapeutic modalities:

• Heart Catheterization
• Coronary Stent Procedures
• Peripheral Procedures, Interventions & Diagnostics
• Pacemaker Implants
• Angiojet
• Balloon Angioplasty

Cardiology Diagnostic Services

Cardiology diagnostic services are provided in a noninvasive manner to patients with disorders of the heart. These services include:

• Diagnostic testing
• Screening of high-risk patients
• Monitoring

Vascular Lab

Our Vascular and ECHO Labs are accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Labs and ECHO Labs. Services include:

• Echocardiograms
• Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
• Waveform Analysis
• Stress Echo Testing
• Venous Mapping
• Carotid Flow Evaluation

Electrophysiology Lab

Conroe Regional Medical Center has an electrophysiology lab. Our Cardiac electrophysiologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders including catheter ablations, pacemaker and defibrillator implants and follow-up. The electrophysiology laboratory is specially equipped for the treatment of complex heart rhythm disorders including abnormal rhythms of the upper part of the heart such as Atrial Fibrillation, Supraventricular Tachycardia and potentially dangerous rhythms of the lower part of the heart such as Ventricular Tachycardia and Cardiac Arrest.

Pulmonary Diagnostics and Stress Testing

This department provides care and diagnosis to inpatients and outpatients, including:

• Evaluation Of Cardiopulmonary Function
• Treatment Of Cardiopulmonary Impairment
• Assessment Of Treatment Effectiveness
• Care Of Patients With Deficiencies And Abnormalities Associated With The Cardiopulmonary System
• Nuclear Cardiology
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Sleep Testing

Diagnostic Tools Used To Assist Patients With Pulmonary Deficiencies include:

• Pulmonary Function Testing
• Methelcholine PFT Stress Testing
• Tilt Table Stress Testing
• Arterial Blood Gas Analysis
• EKG

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Patients who have experienced a cardiovascular event may need to participate in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Our program is designed to educate patients and help them recover faster, with the goal of returning to a full and productive life. The program is divided into three phases:

• Phase I: Inpatient consultation, evaluation and education
• Phase II: Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation With Continuous Telemetry Monitoring For 12 Weeks
• Phase III: Cardiac Outpatient Maintenance Program

Our rehabilitation experts combine education, counseling, exercise and lifestyle tips to help you feel better and live healthier.

Some Statistics About Heart Disease & Women:

According to the Women’s Heart Foundation & The American Heart Association:

• Coronary heart disease, which causes heart attack, is the single leading cause of death for American women.
• Worldwide, 8.6 million women die from heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women.
• 71% of women experience early warning signs of heart attack with sudden onset of extreme weakness that feels like the flu-often with no chest pain at all.
• Nearly two-thirds of the deaths from heart attacks in women occur among those who have no history of chest pain.
• Men's plaque distributes in clumps whereas women’s distributes more evenly throughout artery walls. This results in women's angiographic studies being misinterpreted as “normal”.