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Cardio Services

How We Diagnose Heart Disease

Your cardiologist may recommend diagnostics such as
  • 30-Day Event Recorders
  • 4-Hour Holter Monitors
  • Arterial Vascular Study Lower Extremity
  • Dobutamine Stress Test with Echocardiography Imaging or Nuclear Imaging
  • Echocardiogram (EEG)
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG)
  • Exercise Stress Test
  • Lexiscan Stress Test
  • Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
If you are suffering from heart disease, there is hope.

Accredited Chest Pain Centers

NMC provides advanced care, close to home. The Chest Pain team at NMC has one primary goal: to ensure that patients get the treatment they need during the early stages of a heart attack. Our goal is to reduce the time from the patient's arrival at the emergency department to treatment – to avoid as much heart damage as possible.

Accredited Chest Pain Centers demonstrate expertise in
  • Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system
  • Assessing, diagnosing and treating patients quickly
  • Effectively treating patients with low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms
  • Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures
  • Ensuring Chest Pain Center personnel competency and training
  • Maintaining organizational structure and commitment
  • Having a functional design that promotes optimal patient care
  • Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack

Cardiac Catheterization Lab

The cardiac catheterization lab at Nacogdoches Medical Center offers a wide range of diagnostic and interventional procedures. Some procedures and benefits to this approach:
  • Many life-saving procedures can be performed in our catheterization lab rather than in the surgery suite
  • Less invasive procedures may have fewer complications than other surgical procedures
  • Interventional cardiologists and dedicated, experienced licensed radiology technicians and registered nurses

Other Treatments Offered

  • Angioplasty
  • Artificial Heart Valve Surgery
  • Atherectomy
  • Bypass Surgery
  • Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
  • Stent Procedure

Find a Cardiologist

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More Information

Losing Weight to Gain Heart Function

Being overweight or being obese is a known factor for many heart conditions. Too much fat, especially around the waist, may heighten your risk for heart disease. The extra weight may strain your heart, increase your risk for diabetes, raise your blood pressure, LDL (low-density lipoprotein; bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lower your HDL (high-density lipoprotein; good) cholesterol.

The good news is, you can reduce the risk of having heart disease by just losing 10 pounds and maintaining it. Studies show that sustained weight loss can help lower a person’s overall risk for heart disease and diabetes. However, we understand that losing weight is not easy. That’s why we are here to help you with the process of losing as well as maintaining your weight for a healthier heart.

Keep in mind that you did not gain weight overnight, so losing weight may take some time as well. Be patient and kind to yourself and follow these simple tips for a healthy weight loss.

7 Tips for a Healthy Weight Loss


1. Hydrate. – Drink up. Water is a natural appetite suppressant, and it also helps burn calories.
2. Eat smaller portions. – Check the recommended portion size for your weight to avoid eating more than you need.
3. Reserve half of the plate for vegetables. – Greens are high in fiber and they fill you up fast. The more you eat them, the less you want to load up on sweets and unhealthy food.

4. Use smaller plates, bowls and glasses. – This gives you the illusion that you are eating more than you actually are, which helps you feel satisfied.
5. Skip sugary and fatty snacks. – Eat enough during your meals to suppress the need to snack. If you do feel snacking, opt for healthy options like nuts, fruits or raw vegetables.
6. Check the label. – When buying food or grocery items, check for the calories, fat, sugar and salt content and compare them with similar products. More often than not, there are healthier alternatives within the same food group.

7. Move more, sit less. – Increasing your heart rate up will help you burn calories. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week to lose those extra pounds.

It can be tempting to go back to old habits, but remember that being active and eating smart will not just help decrease your risk for heart disease. It can also benefit your overall health. Sticking to a heart healthy lifestyle will make you feel stronger and be in better shape. You may also experience greater self-control, fewer mood swings and develop better eating habits.

Sources:
American Heart Foundation
Heart UK: The Cholesterol Charity
MedicalNewsToday

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