Heart care services in Tyler, TX
At UT Health East Texas Heart and Vascular Institute, your heart is our priority. We are proud to provide you with comprehensive cardiology services. From diagnosis onward, we are committed to bringing you the best possible healthcare tailored to your specific needs. As an accredited Chest Pain Center with vascular testing and echocardiography capabilities, we provide expertise on heart attack symptoms, offering patients the highest quality of cardiac care. Our hospital was also awarded the Platinum Performance Achievement Award for Chest Pain, which speaks to our commitment to providing exceptional cardiovascular treatments you and your loved ones can depend on.
Heart conditions we diagnose and treat
Your heart is a complex machine that deserves high quality specialty care. Our cardiologists are focused on rapid diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of heart-specific diseases and illnesses. Some of the conditions we address include:
- Angina (chest pain)
- Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm disorders
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart conditions.
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Endocarditis
- Heart failure
- Heart valve diseases
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Myocarditis
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Our cardiovascular treatments and services
Our cardiac care team provides exceptional heart health treatments and diagnostic services, including:
- Carotid artery stenting
- Catheterization laboratory (cath lab) procedures
- Defibrillator and pacemaker implantation and management
- Peripheral angioplasty and intervention
- Renal angioplasty
- Right and left heart catheterization
- Venous ablations
We also offer cardiac rehabilitation services for patients who need extra care after a heart procedure. Learn more about our heart rehab treatments.
ECMO
UT Health Tyler is the first hospital in East Texas to offer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy to adult patients who are extremely sick due to heart and/or lung failure. The ECMO machine helps to alleviate the stress on these vital organs in order for them to have a chance to rest and recover until they are able to properly function again.
Adult ECMO has the most benefit for ages 18-65 years of age. ECMO will be used as a possible treatment for the following conditions:
- Acute or acute on chronic heart failure
- Pulmonary embolism
- Pulmonary contusion
- Inhalation injury
- Chest trauma
- Covid-19
- Drug intoxication
- High-risk cardiac catheterization lab procedures
- Influenza
- Low body temperature
- Post-cardiotomy shock
- Pneumonia/ARDS
- Ventricular assist device (VAD) procedure or similar
Placing a patient on ECMO can be done in the operating room, catheterization lab, at the patient’s bedside or via a mobile unit wherever the patient is located. When connected to an ECMO machine, the blood flows through a tube into an artificial lung for the purpose of removing carbon dioxide and adding oxygen.
Then, the blood is warmed to body temperature and pumped back into the body. Depending on the condition of the patient, they may stay on ECMO anywhere from just days to several weeks. During this time, the medical team is able to treat them with a variety of procedures, medicines or give them adequate time to recover.
For ECMO referrals, please call 903-535-6266.
Heart Valve Center
Established nearly 10 years ago, the Heart Valve Center is one of the most comprehensive centers for treatment of valvular heart disease.
Located in Tyler, patients are treated in a multidisciplinary setting and have the most advanced treatment options available in East Texas. The valve center offers support from dedicated practitioners, including three cardiothoracic surgeons and three cardiologists, who work with patients to develop their individual treatment plan.
Typically, patients are referred to the valve center from their cardiologist or primary care provider for further investigation of their heart disease. When you arrive, you’ll meet with your physician to go through a thorough evaluation, screening and imaging process. From there, your doctor will work with you on the best course of treatment.
What is heart valve disease?
Heart valve disease is a life-threatening condition where one or more of the heart’s four valves fails to pump efficiently. Common causes are valvular insufficiency, also called leaky valve or vascular stenosis, where valves have become hardened and narrowed. Heart valve disease can develop congenitally (while a baby is developing in the womb) or result from heart attack, hypertension, aortic aneurysm or infection. Some causes are still unknown.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of heart valve disease can vary. Severe onset may cause sudden and intense symptoms. With gradual onset, it may take years for the symptoms to become pronounced. General symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Heart murmur
- Heart palpitation
- Shortness of breath upon exertion
- Swelling of the ankles, feet or abdomen
How is it treated?
If left untreated, heart valve disease can result in heart failure, severe infection and even death. No drug therapy exists for heart valve disease. The course of treatment depends on the type and severity, but treatment options include:
- Aortic valve repair
- Drug therapy
- Cardiovascular surgery, including minimally invasive options
- Valve repair, such as a ring annuloplasty or MitraClip (minimally invasive)
- Valve replacement, such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) (minimally invasive)
