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Cardiology

Caring for Your Heart

Your heart deserves the best care.

Our cardiology team works with you to provide care that is both personal and compassionate, using the latest research and technology. We are dedicated to improving heart health by finding new solutions and training future doctors to care for communities like yours.

  Find a Specialist

 24/7 Emergency Heart Care

If you're having chest pain, trouble breathing, dizziness, weakness, or pain in your jaw, back, or left arm, go to the ER immediately. These could be signs of a heart emergency.

Our heart team is available 24/7 at Clear Lake Campus and Galveston to provide life-saving care. League City Hospital has advanced testing and a fast pathway to the Clear Lake Cath Lab for urgent treatment.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people over 45. Taking care of your heart now can help prevent serious problems later.

When is it time to see a Cardiologist?

Cardiologists specialize in the treatment and prevention of heart and blood vessel disease. They may use screenings to determine your risk for heart or cardiovascular conditions, provide checkups to monitor your existing heart disease, or perform surgeries to correct or restore your heart health.

You may need to schedule an appointment with a cardiologist if:

  • you are referred by your primary care provider or OB/GYN
  • you have a family history of heart disease
  • you have high blood pressure or are at risk
  • your cholesterol is high, or you are at risk
  • you smoke or have a history of smoking
  • you've been diagnosed with diabetes

Early detection of heart issues is key to having a healthy heart. Be aware of symptoms of heart disease and speak with your primary care provider on the importance of heart care.

Check your Heart Risk Score

The Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Calculator is a risk assessment tool created by the American College of Cardiology. It’s used to help people 40 -79 years old understand their chances of developing heart disease over the next 10 years.  

The Risk Score offers four levels of heart disease risk:

  • Low: Less than a 5% risk
  • Borderline: A 5% to 7.4% risk
  • Intermediate: A 7.5% to 19.9% risk
  • High: More than a 20% risk

To assess your heart health, use the ASCVD Risk Estimator Plus tool on the American College of Cardiology website.

(Disclaimer: You will be leaving the UTMB Health website when you click on the estimator link. The site you will visit is managed by a different organization, that is responsible for their own content, privacy policies and practices. Please review their terms and conditions.)

  Our Locations

blue rectangle with gold-outlined pentagon shape that has the words "healthgrades specialty excellence awards 2025" written in white inside the gold frame

UTMB recognized with specialty excellence clinical achievements from Healthgrades

The University of Texas Medical Branch announced today that it has achieved numerous accolades for clinical excellence from Healthgrades.

Among UTMB’s distinctions are for Specialty Excellence Awards, placing the hospital among the nation’s top 10% for pulmonary care, gastrointestinal surgery and critical care. UTMB was also rated five stars for eight services, including treatment of heart failure, pacemaker procedures, spinal fusion surgery, treatment of pneumonia, colorectal surgeries, upper GI surgeries, treatment of sepsis and treatment of respiratory failure.

“At UTMB, our commitment to delivering high-quality specialty care is reflected not only in our clinical outcomes but also in the prestigious awards and ratings from Healthgrades,” said Dr. Jochen Reiser, President of UTMB and CEO of the UTMB Health System. “These recognitions are a testament to our dedicated team’s relentless pursuit of excellence and our promise to provide patients with the highest standard of care."

UTMB’s achievements are based solely on patient outcomes, according to Healthgrades. As part of its 2025 hospital assessment, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 of the most common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine the top performers in specialty care.

“Healthgrades commends UTMB for their clear commitment to delivering consistently superior patient outcomes in critical service areas, including treatment of heart failure, pacemaker procedures, spinal fusion surgery, treatment of pneumonia, colorectal surgeries, upper GI surgeries, treatment of sepsis and treatment of respiratory failure,” said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades. “UTMB’s leadership, expertise, and unwavering dedication to clinical excellence set a high mark for specialty care in Texas and nationwide.”

For more on how Healthgrades measures hospital quality, visit healthgrades.com. A patient-friendly overview of how Healthgrades rates hospitals and why quality matters is available online.

See our 5 Star Awards

Treatment of Pneumonia
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for treatment of pneumonia

Spinal Fusion Surgery
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for spinal fusion surgery

Colorectal Surgeries
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for colorectal surgeries

Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for upper gastrointestinal surgery

Treatment of Heart Failure
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for treatment of heart failure

Pacemaker Procedures
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for pacemaker procedures

Treatment of Sepsis
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for Treatment of Sepsis

Treatment of Respiratory Failure
Healthgrades 2025 5 star award for Treatment of Respiratory Failure

*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2021 through 2023 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. View the complete 2025 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology online.

See all Heart Health Blog Topics & Awards