Asked and Answered
3 Seasons
General and Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Alexander Postalian answers patient questions related to cardiovascular health.
Submit your questions in the comment section to be featured in the next episode of Asked and Answered.
Read more about our specialties: www.texasheartmedical.org/edu
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How Often Do I Need to Get a Stress Test?
Episode 1
"Stress tests may not be routinely needed every single year, it depends on the specific situation."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional CardiologistRead More: www.texasheartmedical.org/our-specialties/nuclear-stress-test/
Submit your questions to be featured in the next episo...
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I Always Get Random Chest Pains, Am I Going To Drop Dead?
Episode 2
"Chest pain can be a sign of a serious condition, but there are many reasons to have chest pain, including low-risk ones. The characteristics of the pain, and your overall cardiovascular risk, matter in the interpretation of the pain."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional Cardiol... -
I Feel My Heart Stop For a Few Seconds and Restart With a Thump
Episode 3
"These are most likely premature heart contractions or "skipped beats". Using a rhythm monitor could help diagnose this issue."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional CardiologistRead More: www.texasheartmedical.org/our-specialties/heart-rhythm-disorders-arrhythmia/
Submit your ...
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I Have a Stent in My Heart, Is It Safe to Stop My Plavix?
Episode 4
"Some patients may be able to reduce antiplatelet medication after the stent "healed" and has been covered by your own cells."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional CardiologistRead More: www.texasheartmedical.org/our-specialties/coronary-artery-disease-cad/
Submit your questio...
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I’m 65 And I Have Been Taking Aspirin for A Long Time. I Read Aspirin Doesn’t Do Anything. Can I Stop It?
Episode 5
"Most healthy patients don't need aspirin therapy. We use it in patients at high risk of bad cardiovascular events, such as those with prior heart attacks, strokes, high levels of calcium in the arteries, among others (it's a long list)."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional Card... -
My Doctor Says I Need Quadruple Bypass Surgery. Why Can’t I Have Stents Instead?
Episode 6
"Not all blockages can be fixed with stents, and surgery might be the better approach. The answer is clear in some patients, but there is a large gray zone. In general (simplification), surgery tends to last longer than stents."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional Cardiologist...
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My Friend Had Their Aortic Valve Replaced Through The Groin, but My Doctor Tells Me They Have to Crack Me Open to Replace Mine
Episode 7
"Most aortic valve procedures in the US are now done minimally invasively through the groin, but not all patients are candidates for this. We make these decisions after discussing each individual case in a multidisciplinary meeting."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional Cardiolog... -
My Mom Is Scheduled to Have a Heart Catheterization, Should I Be Scared?
Episode 8
"A heart catheterization is a serious procedure, but fairly routine for cardiologists. The risk of a serious complication, while not zero, is low. The chances of something going wrong depends on the complexity of the operation, and the sickness of the patient."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General ... -
I'm Getting a Stress Test but My Doctor says I Don't Have to Run on a Treadmill
Episode 9
"There are many types of nuclear stress tests. A CT-PET, which produces some of the higher quality images, can usually only be done with injection of drugs, and not with exercise."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General and Interventional CardiologistRead More: www.texasheartmedical.org/our-special...
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I’m A 38-Year-Old Woman with Stomach Cramps That Move to My Chest
Episode 10
"Women indeed can manifest heart disease through unusual symptoms. However, chest pain and stomach cramping can occur for reasons unrelated to the heart. Fortunately, your age portends low risk - but if the chest pain does not resolve, keep talking to your doctor."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, Gene... -
I Had a Heart Attack 3 Years Ago but I Can't Take Any of the Statins Prescribed
Episode 11
"If you have had a heart attack, it would be wise to reduce your risk of another one through the use of medication. We now know that most patients taking statins do not have major side effects. Nonetheless, there are many alternatives available in the market."
- Dr. Alexander Postalian, General a...