Cardiovascular Diseases

Adnan Khalid, MD, evaluates and treats adults with conditions of the heart and blood vessels at our Katy and Sugar Land offices, from risk-factor management to coordinating hospital-based care when it is needed.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. Common types include coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms, peripheral artery disease and stroke. CVD is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States and worldwide, but much of the risk can be lowered.

Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, excess weight, an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and family history. Learn how heart disease risk is assessed.

Diagnosis may involve blood tests, an electrocardiogram (EKG), an echocardiogram, stress testing, heart rhythm monitoring and, in selected cases, angiography. Treatment depends on the type and severity of disease and may include lifestyle changes, medicines and, in some cases, catheter-based procedures or surgery performed in a hospital. Learn more about tests and treatments.

Prevention focuses on reducing risk factors: eating a heart-healthy diet, staying active, not smoking, and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar under control. Finding and treating CVD early helps lower the risk of heart attack, stroke and other complications.

If you have already been diagnosed with a heart condition, Dr. Khalid can review your records, test results and current treatment, and explain your options in plain language. Some people also come in for a cardiology second opinion before a major procedure.

Meet Our Specialist in Cardiology

Adnan Khalid, MD, specializes in treating coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, arrhythmias, and hyperlipidemia. He has over 10 years of experience in the field of cardiovascular medicine.

Board Certifications

American Board of Internal Medicine
Interventional Cardiology

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant

Cardiology

Cardiovascular Disease

Overview

Common Types of Cardiovascular Disease

Coronary artery disease: plaque narrows the arteries that supply the heart muscle. It can cause angina (chest discomfort with exertion) or lead to a heart attack when an artery suddenly becomes blocked.
Heart failure: the heart cannot pump or fill well enough to meet the body’s needs, causing breathlessness, fatigue and swelling. See heart failure treatment.
Arrhythmias: heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation, which can cause palpitations and raises stroke risk.
High blood pressure: a major, often silent driver of heart attack, stroke and heart failure. See hypertension.
Peripheral artery disease: narrowed arteries to the legs that can cause pain with walking.
Heart valve disease and cardiomyopathy: problems with the valves or the heart muscle itself, often found on an echocardiogram.
Stroke: loss of blood flow to part of the brain, sometimes caused by a clot from the heart.

Risk Factors

What Raises the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease?

Risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop CVD. They are usually divided into two groups: those you can change and those you cannot.

Modifiable risk factors: these can be improved through lifestyle changes and medical treatment.

Smoking: chemicals in tobacco damage the lining of the arteries and promote plaque buildup and blood clots.
High LDL cholesterol: excess LDL (“bad”) cholesterol builds up in artery walls as plaque.
High blood pressure: over time, hypertension damages the arteries and strains the heart.
Diabetes: high blood sugar damages blood vessels and the nerves that help control the heart.
Lack of physical activity: regular exercise strengthens the heart and improves circulation.
Excess weight: raises blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of diabetes.
Excess alcohol: can raise blood pressure, add calories and trigger rhythm problems.
Chronic kidney disease and sleep apnea: both are linked to higher cardiovascular risk.

Non-modifiable risk factors: these cannot be changed, but knowing them helps guide prevention.

Family history: risk is higher if a parent or sibling developed heart disease at a younger age.
Age: risk rises with age.
Sex: men tend to develop heart disease earlier, and women’s risk rises after menopause.
Ancestry: some groups, including people of South Asian and African ancestry, have higher rates of heart disease.
Inherited lipid conditions: an elevated lipoprotein(a) is largely genetic; current guidelines suggest measuring it at least once in adulthood.

Rather than looking at one factor at a time, cardiologists often estimate overall risk. For adults aged 30 to 79 without known heart disease, the 2026 ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline uses the PREVENT equations to estimate 10-year risk, and a coronary calcium scan may help refine decisions for selected people at borderline or intermediate risk.

Symptoms

Common Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

Call 911 first if you have chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back; shortness of breath; discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach; a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness; fainting; or stroke signs such as face drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulty, even if they go away. Do not wait for an office appointment, and do not use office messages for emergencies.

Each form of cardiovascular disease has its own symptoms, but some warning signs are common to several. If you notice any of the following, especially if they are new, recurring or getting worse, arrange a medical evaluation promptly:

Chest discomfort or pressure with physical exertion that eases with rest
Shortness of breath with normal activities, when lying flat or at rest
An irregular, racing or pounding heartbeat
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Unusual or pronounced fatigue
Swelling of the feet, ankles, legs or abdomen
Leg pain or cramping with walking that improves with rest
Nausea or loss of appetite
Changes in sleep, such as waking up short of breath

Symptoms can be subtle. Women, older adults and people with diabetes are more likely to have less typical symptoms such as fatigue, nausea or breathlessness rather than classic chest pain. Some people with heart disease have no symptoms at all, which is why risk factors matter.

Diagnosis

How Is Cardiovascular Disease Diagnosed?

Evaluation starts with a visit. Dr. Khalid reviews your symptoms, medical and family history and medicines, checks your blood pressure, and examines your heart, lungs and legs. Tests are then chosen to answer specific questions. Each test has strengths and limits:

Blood tests measure cholesterol, blood sugar, kidney function and other markers that affect risk.
EKG records the heart’s rhythm and electrical activity for a few seconds. It is done in our office, but a normal EKG does not rule out heart disease.
Echocardiogram uses ultrasound to show heart muscle and valve function. It does not show the coronary arteries directly.
Stress testing shows how the heart responds to exertion. A standard exercise test uses no tracer; nuclear stress tests use a small amount of radioactive tracer, and stress echocardiograms use ultrasound.
Heart rhythm monitors such as Holter or event monitors record rhythm over days or weeks.
Coronary calcium scan or CT angiography can show plaque in the coronary arteries in selected patients.
Cardiac catheterization with angiography is an invasive hospital procedure used when results or symptoms strongly suggest significant artery narrowing.

Echocardiograms, stress tests and monitors are performed or arranged by our office, and hospital-based procedures are scheduled at an affiliated hospital. Dr. Khalid explains what each result means and how it affects your plan.

Do I need testing if I have no symptoms? Not always. Routine EKG screening is not recommended for adults who have no symptoms and are at low risk. For people without symptoms, risk is usually estimated from age, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and smoking, and further tests are considered when they could change treatment.

Treatment

Treatment for Cardiovascular Diseases

Treatment depends on the specific condition, how severe it is, your other health conditions and your preferences. The main goals are to relieve symptoms, prevent complications such as heart attack and stroke, and improve quality of life. Common approaches include:

Lifestyle changes: a heart-healthy diet, regular physical activity, not smoking, limiting alcohol, managing weight and stress, and getting enough sleep.
Medicines: to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol, manage heart rhythm, ease the workload on the heart or prevent blood clots. Examples include statins, beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. Aspirin and other blood thinners help some people but are not right for everyone, so take them only as your care team advises.
Catheter-based procedures: angioplasty and stents can open narrowed arteries in the heart or legs. These are performed in a hospital catheterization laboratory, not in our office.
Surgery: some people need coronary artery bypass surgery or heart valve repair or replacement, performed by cardiac surgeons in a hospital. Dr. Khalid evaluates whether these options may help and coordinates referral when appropriate.
Device therapy: pacemakers, implantable defibrillators and, for advanced heart failure, mechanical heart pumps can help manage rhythm problems or support heart function. Devices are implanted in a hospital.
Ongoing management: taking medicines as prescribed, keeping follow-up appointments, monitoring blood pressure or weight at home and, after a heart event, joining cardiac rehabilitation.

Hospital Care

A heart attack, worsening heart failure or a dangerous rhythm problem may require hospital treatment. Hospital care can include close monitoring, intravenous medicines, treatment of rhythm problems and, for many heart attacks, emergency angioplasty to reopen a blocked artery. After discharge, a follow-up visit with your cardiologist helps adjust medicines and plan recovery.

Work with your care team to choose the treatment plan that fits your needs and medical history, and do not stop or change any medicine without their specific instructions. Early detection and consistent treatment of CVD lower the risk of complications and help protect your quality of life.

Sources: NHLBI: Coronary Heart Disease; ACC: 2026 ACC/AHA Dyslipidemia Guideline; USPSTF: Screening With Electrocardiography; American Heart Association: Warning Signs of a Heart Attack.

Physician-Led Care

Dr. Khalid reviews your symptoms, history and test results himself

Two Offices

Visits in Katy and Sugar Land

Hospital-Based Procedures

Catheter and device procedures at an affiliated hospital

Follow-Up Care

Office follow-up on medicines and risk factors

New Patient Paperwork

Please print out your paperwork and bring it to your appointment at Advanced Cardiology. If your insurance requires authorization, please be sure to have that information sent to our office or bring it with you to your appointment, along with any medical records you may have. Please also make sure to bring your insurance cards, photo ID, and medication list.

Thank you, and we look forward to meeting you! Contact us today with any questions.

Call to Schedule Your Appointment!

Most insurance plans accepted
(713) 258-6111

Katy & Sugar Land Cardiologist

We diagnose and treat adult heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, heart rhythm disorders and heart failure.

About our Cardiologist: Comments from our Patients

# Cooperative & professional staff. Dr. Khalid is highly competent & experienced. Very kind & friendly too.

# He’s A Very Caring & Concerned Doctor. He Asks Important Questions, He Allows Me To Ask Questions & Fully Answers To My Satisfaction. He Diagnosis & Does Whatever It Takes To Fix My Health Issues. He’s A Wonderful Doctor…& Most Of All, I Trust Him & His Staff.

Request a Cardiology Appointment

Advanced Cardiology welcomes new patients at its offices in Katy and Sugar Land. Call our office or send an appointment request, and our staff will follow up.

Call to Schedule Your Appointment

Most major insurance plans accepted; coverage is verified individually.

For possible heart attack or stroke symptoms, call 911.