stethoscope in the shape of a heart

We Cover Every Beat of Heart Care

For patients experiencing a heart attack, time is critical. Texas Health Huguley, in collaboration with the local community EMS teams, has been able to significantly decrease the time patients spend in cardiac arrest before receiving care. EMS and physicians on the medical staff work to provide a seamless handoff between local EMS teams and staff physicians and nurses at Texas Health Huguley who provide care for heart attack patients.

Be aware of your risks. If you experience symptoms, call 911 immediately!

Contact your medical provider or visit the “Find Providers” tab to find a heart and vascular specialist at Texas Health Huguley

Why Texas Health Huguley?

Your best life is out there. Let us help you find it. Our whole-person approach to care is designed to help you take your health — and your life — back into your own hands. It’s not just about healing what’s wrong, it’s about celebrating what’s right and helping you create a life of better health, more joy, and less stress. After more than 40 years of delivering exceptional whole-person health care with uncommon compassion, Texas Health Huguley works to extend the healing ministry of Christ. We’re here to help you feel whole again.

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Heart Attacks

What You Need to Know

A heart attack is the sudden interruption of blood flow within the heart. The blockage can happen when a piece of plaque breaks loose from the wall of a blood vessel and becomes lodged in one of the heart's arteries. Called acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a heart attack can also occur when arteries become inflamed or close off because of plaque buildup.

Oxygen-rich blood no longer flows past the blockage, choking off the tissue beyond the blockage. Without rapid treatment, a heart attack can lead to permanent heart damage and even death.

Symptoms:

The most common symptom of coronary artery disease, which is the precursor to a heart attack, or AMI, is chest pain. Also called angina, chest pain is chest discomfort, heaviness, tightness, pressure, aching, burning, numbness, fullness or a squeezing sensation in the chest area. It is sometimes confused with indigestion or heartburn. Angina is usually felt in the chest but may also radiate down the left shoulder and left arm and may be felt in the neck, back or jaw.

Unlike sudden cardiac arrest, a heart attack may come on slowly or have vague symptoms. If you have angina or any chest discomfort or other symptoms mentioned above that last for more than 5 minutes, call 911 immediately. The symptoms could be signs of a heart attack. Without immediate treatment, heart muscle can die, leading to permanent disability and sometimes death.

Other common heart-attack symptoms:

  • Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Impending sense of doom
  • Fainting
  • Nausea and vomiting

Women often have different heart attack symptoms. Those may include:

  • Abdominal pain or heartburn
  • Clammy skin
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Unusual or unexplained fatigue

One pregnant woman getting her blood checked by a female doctor in scrubs.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

The comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program at Texas Health Huguley is designed to provide cardiac patients and their families with all the advantages of cardiac fitness and a new beginning for a healthier lifestyle. The program's emphasis is on education and monitored progressive exercise by the cardiac rehabilitation team.

A senior couple sitting on a bench in the park, the woman holding a red heart.

Awards and Honors

Texas Health Huguley has achieved recognition by several organizations for providing quality heart and vascular care.

  • Joint Commission Disease-Specific Certification, Chest Pain
  • Joint Commission Disease-Specific Certification, Stroke
  • American College of Cardiology, National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR)
  • Chest Pain Center of Excellence
  • American Heart Association Action Registry – GWT, Silver Performance
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield Center of Excellence