Colorado Springs Cardiology

05/29/2026

🧠💙 May Is Almost Over. But These Two Messages Should Stay With You.

May is both American Stroke Month and Blood Pressure Education Month, and the connection between the two could not be more important. High blood pressure is the single most important controllable risk factor for stroke.

Here is what you can do right now:

🔵 Know the B.E.F.A.S.T. warning signs and share them with the people you love
💙 Get your blood pressure checked if it has been a while
📅 Schedule a visit with your cardiologist before summer gets busy

Up to 80% of strokes are preventable. The most powerful tool you have is knowing your numbers and acting on them.

📖 Free stroke education resources from the American Stroke Association: https://www.stroke.org/en/about-the-american-stroke-association/stroke-awareness-month

Let’s come together to defeat stroke by learning to B.E. F.A.S.T. Find helpful resources and get educated on ways to prevent a second stroke.

05/25/2026

🇺🇸 On this Memorial Day, our hearts are full of gratitude for those who gave their lives in service to our nation.

We are grateful. We remember. We honor. 💙

Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful day with those you love.

05/22/2026

🧠💙 Your Mental Health and Your Heart Are More Connected Than You Think

May is both Mental Health Awareness Month and American Stroke Month, and for a cardiovascular practice, that overlap is worth talking about. Depression, anxiety, and chronic stress do not just affect how you feel emotionally. They can raise blood pressure, increase inflammation, and put real strain on your heart over time.

A few things worth knowing:
💙 Depression is linked to a significantly higher risk of heart disease
💙 Chronic stress elevates cortisol, contributing to high blood pressure and arterial damage
💙 Poor sleep and anxiety are both tied to increased cardiovascular risk

This month, check in with yourself. Managing your mental health is, quite literally, managing your heart health. If you have questions or concerns, do not wait to reach out to your provider. Your heart health is whole-body health.

Learn more: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/mental-health-and-wellbeing/mental-health-and-heart-health

For years.

05/20/2026

🎉 Earlier this month, Colorado Springs Cardiology made history as the first practice in Colorado to perform an AFib ablation in an outpatient surgery center! This is a big deal for AFib patients in our community. Same-day discharge, cutting-edge technology, and the same trusted CSC team you know. ❤️

A huge thank you to Dr. Chang, the entire CSC clinical team, and the J&J MedTech EP team at Biosense Webster for making this possible. 👏

Read the full story here: https://coscardiology.com/first-afib-ablation-varipulse-plus/

05/14/2026

🧠 May is American Stroke Month. Do You Know the Warning Signs?

On average, nearly 2 million brain cells die every minute a stroke goes untreated, making early recognition and treatment absolutely critical. This May, the American Stroke Association has updated its stroke warning signs acronym to B.E.F.A.S.T., and it is worth knowing by heart:

🔵 B - Balance: sudden loss of balance or dizziness
👁️ E - Eyes: sudden blurred, double, or lost vision
😶 F - Face: drooping on one side
💪 A - Arms: weakness or numbness in one arm
🗣️ S - Speech: slurred or strange speech
📞 T - Time: call 911 immediately

Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. The good news is that over 80% of strokes are preventable, with managing blood pressure being one of the most powerful steps you can take.

If you or someone around you experiences any of these symptoms, do not wait. Every second matters.

Learn more from the American Stroke Association: https://www.stroke.org

The American Stroke Association is a relentless force for a healthier world with fewer strokes.

05/12/2026

🩺 Big news from Colorado Springs Cardiology Heart & Vascular Center!

We are proud to be the first ASC in the western United States to offer the SEISMIQ™ Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) system from Boston Scientific to our patients.

Peripheral artery disease affects millions of Americans, and when calcium hardens inside artery walls, it makes treatment significantly more complex. The SEISMIQ IVL system uses acoustic pressure waves to precisely break up that calcium, helping our physicians restore blood flow more safely and effectively for patients with advanced PAD.

Read more about how we are bringing this technology to Southern Colorado: https://coscardiology.com/csc-ivl-system/

05/07/2026

🩺 High Blood Pressure: The Silent Risk You Need to Know About

Hypertension is often called the "silent killer" because it usually has no symptoms, but it significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and premature death.

The good news? It is one of the most manageable cardiovascular risk factors when caught early.

A few things worth knowing:
💙 A normal blood pressure is generally considered less than 120/80
💙 The current AHA/ACC guideline recommends a universal treatment target of less than 130/80 mmHg
💙 Lifestyle changes, including diet, physical activity, and stress management, are always the first line of defense
💙 The only way to know your numbers is to get checked

May is the perfect time to schedule that visit if you've been putting it off. Your cardiologist can help you understand your numbers and build a plan that works for you.

📖 Learn more: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-education-month

The Heart Truth® encourages women to know their blood pressure numbers. Then make keeping blood pressure within a healthy target part of self-care.

05/04/2026

🌸 Hello, May! May is National Blood Pressure Education Month, and it starts with one important fact: Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, putting them at risk for heart disease and stroke, and only 1 in 4 people with high blood pressure has it under control.

That means millions of people are living with a serious cardiovascular risk without even knowing it. High blood pressure has no symptoms. You can feel completely fine and still have numbers that are quietly putting strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys.

The only way to know where you stand is to get checked. If it has been a while since your last visit, May is a great time to schedule one. Knowing your numbers is one of the simplest and most powerful steps you can take for your heart. 💙

04/29/2026

🥦 The Science on Heart-Healthy Eating Just Got an Update

The American Heart Association just released its 2026 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health and the science backing a heart-healthy diet has only gotten stronger.

The foundation remains the same:
🫐 Plenty of fruits and vegetables
🌾 Whole grains over refined grains
🥜 Healthy proteins, including more plant-based sources
🫒 Unsaturated fats over saturated fats
🚫 Less added sugar, sodium, and alcohol

The reminder that matters most? Up to 80% of heart disease and stroke is considered preventable, and what you eat every day plays a major role in that.

Read the full AHA guidance in the link below: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001435

Poor diet quality is strongly associated with elevated cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality risk. This American Heart Association scientific statement for food-based cardiovascular health optimization and cardiovascular disease risk reduction guidance summarizes available evidence and prov...

04/23/2026

🫀 A historic milestone for Colorado and for our patients!

We're proud to announce the successful completion of the first outpatient EP ablation in the state of Colorado, performed by Dr. Shu Chang at our brand-new Heart & Vascular Ambulatory Surgery Center in Colorado Springs.

Cardiac arrhythmias affect millions of Americans, and catheter ablation is a safe, effective treatment option for patients when medications alone are not enough. Now, Southern Colorado patients can access this life-changing procedure without a hospital stay.

Read more about this milestone and what EP ablation means for our patients: https://coscardiology.com/first-ep-ablation-colorado/

04/20/2026

🎉 We're proud to share that two members of the Colorado Springs Cardiology leadership team will be speaking at CVTransforum Spring '26!

Join Krista Olsen, Director of Operations, and Mark Baker, ASC Administrator, on Friday, May 1 from 1:15–1:40 PM for their session: "Operational Planning and Ramp-up of CV ASCs."

From staffing models and case mix development to physician engagement and capital planning, Krista and Mark will share the real-world, practical lessons we've learned building and scaling our cardiovascular ASC program.

If you're a cardiovascular leader planning, launching, or expanding a CV ASC, this session is for you, don't miss it!

Register today at the link below and make sure to add Krista and Mark's session to your agenda: https://web.cvent.com/event/4623532d-f268-4008-a0f8-88535c32d64f/summary