Cardiologists in Amarillo, TX
The BSA Heart and Vascular Center’s experienced team of interventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and specially-trained nurses is dedicated to helping you restore heart function and optimize your health. We are proud to serve all of Amarillo, Texas and to provide our community with outstanding care. Our services include heart screening services like heart CT scans and cardiovascular MRIs, as well as cardiothoracic and interventional procedures like TAVR and balloon angioplasty. Whether you need a heart health check-up or heart disease treatment, our cardiologists are ready to provide fast, effective care you and your loved ones can depend on.
Our Mission of Cardiovascular Excellence
Our Heart and Vascular Center is dedicated to bringing you and your loved ones leading edge healthcare. We believe that you and all our patients deserve the best treatments possible, so we are proud to be able to provide you with not only the skills of our highly trained cardiovascular experts, but also access to our new hybrid operating room. This feature allows us to enhance your health and safety during integrated surgical procedures. Our goal is to give you the best service that healthcare has to offer so that you can heal and recover with confidence.
Heart Screening Services We Provide
One of the first steps in finding the ideal treatment for you is diagnosing your condition. We are able to offer a wide range of tests, including $99 coronary artery calcium scoring, to quickly and effectively identify conditions of the heart and arteries. Our heart screening tests include:
- Computerized tomography (CT) angiography
- CT heart scan
- Cardiac ultrasound
- Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Coronary artery calcium scoring
- Echo and Doppler studies
- Electrocardiogram
- Fractional flow reserve
- Intravascular ultrasound
- Nuclear cardiology
- Pulmonary function testing
- Retinal microvasculature assessment
- Stress testing
- Transesophageal echocardiography
Our Interventional Cardiology Services
Interventional cardiology is used to prevent, diagnose, and treat a number of cardiovascular conditions. Interventional cardiologists specialize in cardiac catheterization procedures, in which a very thin, flexible tube, called a catheter, is threaded into and through an artery to deliver treatment as needed.
Cardiac catheterization is minimally invasive, meaning that you will have less discomfort, less risk, and shorter recovery times. Some of the procedures we perform include:
- Angioplasties
- Atherectomies
- Atrial septal defect repair
- Balloon aortic valvuloplasty
- CardioMEMS implantation
- EKOS for pulmonary embolism thrombolysis
- Impella circulatory support device implantation
- Left atrial appendage closure (LAA)
- Left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation (LAAO)
- Mitral valvuloplasty
- Myocardial biopsy
- Percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure
- Pericardiocentesis
- Rotablator atherectomy
- Shockwave lithotripsy
- Stenting procedures
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
TAVR
BSA is proud to be the only facility in the Texas Panhandle to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement. This procedure is a safe and effective solution for patients suffering from aortic stenosis. More than 2.5 million people, ages 75 and older, suffer from aortic stenosis, a condition caused by narrowed heart valves. These narrow valves result in the reduction or blockage of blood flow from the heart to the body. Aortic stenosis can lead to heart failure or heart disease, the number one killer in America.
You may qualify for TAVR if you suffer from aortic stenosis. Typically, aortic stenosis is caused from:
- Birth defects
- Calcium deposits in the heart valves
- Radiation therapy
- Scar tissue in the heart valves caused by untreated strep throat
A physician referral is required to schedule a cardiovascular procedure.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
In addition to diagnostic scans and surgical treatments, we are also able to offer a variety of rehabilitation services. Our 12-week outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program is designed to provide you and other patients in recovery with clinical support, guided exercise, and health education. Our goal is to not only strengthen your heart and circulatory system after a procedure or cardiac event, but to also give you the tools and knowledge you need to maintain your health after rehab.
Because of our leadership in cardiovascular rehabilitation and our dedication to service for our patients, our program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR).
Cardiothoracic Surgery
In cases where medicine or cardiac catheterization procedures can’t provide the solutions you need, your doctor may refer you to a cardiothoracic surgeon. Cardiothoracic surgery s a type of thoracic (chest) surgery that focuses specifically on the heart, lungs, and the major arteries and veins. Our cardiothoracic surgeons use minimally-invasive and robotic surgery options to reduce scarring, blood loss, and tissue damage, and speed up your overall recovery time. Our goal is always to provide the best possible cardiovascular care to you and your loved ones.
Some of the surgeries commonly performed by our cardiothoracic surgeons include:
- Aortic root procedures
- Aortic valve replacement surgery
- Coronary artery bypass
- Diagnostic procedures for thoracic cancers
- Evaluation and management of mediastinal masses
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- Implantation of left ventricular assist device (LVAD)
- Minimally invasive lung resections
- Mitral and tricuspid valve repair/replacement
- Robotic thoracoscopy
- Surgical treatment of malignant and benign esophageal conditions
- Video assisted thoracoscopy surgery (VATS)
Should you require further care after your procedure, our doctors will connect you with our rehabilitation team. Our state-of-the-art rehabilitation clinic is staffed by various specialists prepared to help you heal from your procedure.
Vascular Surgeries We Perform
Our vascular surgeons offer a variety of treatments to address conditions that affect the major vessels of the body. We offer the following vascular surgical treatments:
- Aortic aneurysm resectioning (abdominal and thoracic)
- Bypass surgeries
- Carotid artery endarterectomy
- Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR)
- Inferior vena cava filters
- Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR)
Electrophysiology Services
Electrophysiology is a study of medicine that focuses on the electric impulses of the heart. When something interrupts your heart’s electrical impulses, it can cause arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) or even stop your heart. The electrophysiologists and surgeons at BSA Health System work together to determine the best solution to keep your heart strong and beating normally.
Some of the diagnostic tests and surgical solutions we provide include:
- Cardioverter defibrillator implantation and removal
- Cryoablation therapy
- Direct current cardioversion
- Electrophysiology studies
- Holter monitoring
- Implanted cardioverter defibrillator programming
- Loop recorder implantation
- Pacemaker implantation and removal
- Pacemaker programming
- Radiofrequency ablation therapy
- Signal averaged electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Stereotaxis magnetic system
- Tilt table testing
Please call us to learn more about our electrophysiology services.
Prevention and Early Detection
One of the most valuable parts of healthcare is prevention, and the best way to prevent heart attacks is to know what risk factors affect you, and what you can do to stay healthy.
Some factors that you can directly address are:
- An inactive lifestyle
- Diabetes types 1 and 2
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Stress
- Tobacco usage
- Weight gain
Other factors like age, gender, and your family’s medical history are factors that can’t be changed, but can inform how you approach your health. We advocate for our patients to be an active part of their healthcare at every age and every appointment.
To learn more about early heart attack prevention, download our education booklet.