News Releases

Heart Services Expand

Houston, Texas, February 3, 2004 – Responding to a growing demand for clinical services among heart patients, Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital has opened a second state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratory, reinforcing its 20-year commitment to provide the southeast Houston community with quality, comprehensive care.

“Patients who still drive all the way to the Texas Medical Center for a heart catheterization will be pleased to know that the latest and best diagnostic technology is available right here,” said Ann Roller, R.N., clinical manager of the Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital catheterization lab.

The American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2004 Update shows heart disease is still the nation’s leading cause of death, making a critical case for continued advancements in the medical technology used to diagnose and treat this condition. The new lab is equipped with the latest generation of Philips Medical Systems imaging technology, including the Integris Allura 15-inch intensifier. This fully digital device enables physicians to capture and view detailed images of a patient’s coronary structure, enabling fast, accurate diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease.

Cardiac catheterization is a potentially life-saving procedure for diagnosing heart problems. It involves insertion of a thin plastic tube, or catheter, into an artery or vein in the arm or leg to detect blockages consisting of cholesterol build-up. This test can measure blood pressure within the heart and how much oxygen is in the blood. It's also used to get information about the pumping ability of the heart muscle.

“By investing in diagnostic and interventional vascular medicine for a second lab, Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital is demonstrating its firm commitment to the community’s heart health,” said Roller. “Having this level of equipment and expertise nearby provides a tremendous convenience for our community and stands shoulder to shoulder with any cath lab in the Medical Center.”

More than 10,000 diagnostic heart catheterizations have been performed at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital, which will expand its peripheral interventional cardiology capabilities this spring.

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