Atherosclerosis is still the most prevalent of the chronic diseases affecting our aging population. While cardiac manifestations of the disease are the most widely publicized, this disease can also cause disabling claudication, gangrene, and amputation. Major risk factors must be controlled or eliminated to avoid serious disability.

Research supports the success of exercise in improving hemodynamics and maximizing functional capacity in patients with both coronary and peripheral arterial disease. Physicians routinely order modifications in lifestyles on these patients, but getting them to comply with these instructions when left on their own has been difficult to impossible at best.

Heart attack victims have long been afforded the benefits of a structured Rehabilitation program to help comply with lifestyle changes, but the patient whose primary manifestation of the diseaseis in the peripheral arteries does not meet criteria for acceptance in Cardiac Rehab.

In an attempt to meet the needs of this growing patient population, Red Oak Cardiovascular Center has established a Vascular Rehabilitation Program. The success of these programs has been proven throughout the country, and has prompted us to offer the same to patients in the Houston area.

Similar to Cardiac Rehab, a Vascular program's goal is to return the patient to the highest possible functional capacity allowed by his/her vascular diagnosis and life situation and to halt orreverse the risk factors contributing to the disease. Vascular Rehab, aprogram whose time has come is certainly a cost-effective alternative to repeated hospitalizations, amputation or worse, and has the prospects of a truly preventative program which is a goal this society has badly needed to attain.

Our Staff

We are fortunate to have the expertiseof several medical professionals to assure the best physical and emotional support to our patients and their family members.

Our team consists of:

• A Board Certified Cardiovascular Physician
• Registered Nurses
• Registered and Licensed Dietitian
• Certified Social Worker
• Degreed Exercise Physiologists
• Cardiac Rehab Technician

If you suffer from claudication (leg pain)or have recently had Femoral Bypass or Angioplasty, we would be delighted to give you a tour of our facility and discuss prerequisites for joining the program.