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TUCSON, AZ (Nov. 20, 2025) – Deaths from heart attack have dropped by nearly 90 percent over the past 50 years, but deaths by other heart conditions have increased over the same period. The heart attack survival rate has improved thanks to advances in treatment and intervention, but rising cases of atrial fibrillation and arrhythmias, heart failure and hypertensive heart disease are now the leading causes of death among heart conditions. A likely contribution to these increases: More Americans have the ... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ – Nov. 17, 2025 — Northwest Medical Center Sahuarita celebrated its fifth anniversary on Tue., Nov. 11. The hospital opened its doors in November 2020, and has provided safe, quality care for Sahuarita and its surrounding communities ever since. “Our work to grow the services we provide is ongoing, as we continuously improve our safety and quality while we support access to healthcare for the communities we serve,” said Cari Olvera, MSN, R.N., the hospital’s chief administrative officer. “Eve... ... Read More

“I took a little nap, woke up, and was ready to go,” says Cari as she recalls her SADI-S surgical weight loss procedure with Stephen Burpee, M.D. , and the team at Northwest Bariatric and Foregut Surgery . “I had no problems and no hiccups.” Cari is one of many people opting for minimally-invasive SADI-S rather than sleeve gastrectomy or duodenal switch because SADI-S combines both. It can help patients struggling with severe obesity lose a significant amount of weight while improving or resolving metab... ... Read More

At first, the only unusual thing Gabe noticed was that he seemed to be walking slightly to the left without meaning to, like a car out of alignment. “I didn’t think anything of it,” Gabe remembers. After all, he was only 55. But then, Gabe’s girlfriend pointed out that half of his face seemed to be drooping. An unsteady walk and a drooping face – along with slurred speech, which Gabe experienced next – are signs of a stroke – or a “brain attack,” which requires fast medical care. In fact, F.A.S.T. is th... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ (Oct. 20, 2025) – Blood clotting supports the body’s recovery from injury, but when blood clots don’t break up or dissolve as they should, they can block the flow of blood with serious consequences. On average, one American dies from a clot-caused death every six seconds. Interventional cardiologist Hoang Thai, M.D., FACC, FSCAI , who practices at both Northwest Cardiology at La Cholla and Northwest Cardiology at Oro Valley , says everyone is at risk for clots – regardless of age or gender. H... ... Read More

Shorter ER wait times help patients get the care they need, faster TUCSON, AZ (Oct. 17, 2025) – When health emergencies happen, patients and their families often turn to the emergency department (ED) for prompt medical attention. Over the course of thousands of patient encounters in our EDs each year, Northwest Healthcare delivers medically necessary, life-saving patient care, while prioritizing short wait times. Our goal: To connect every patient with a medical professional for timely assessment and tr... ... Read More

“I’m literally half the person I used to be,” says Robert three years after his weight-loss surgery with Stephen Burpee, M.D. , and the team at Northwest Bariatric and Foregut Surgery . Robert, like so many others, had struggled with his weight since childhood – and he had a family history of obesity, heart disease, and arthritis. When he reached his mid-40s, with 430 pounds on his 6’4” frame and related problems with blood pressure, high blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, Robert began researching wei... ... Read More

Katherine wasn’t a typical weight loss surgery patient. While she did need to lose more than 120 pounds, she was also suffering from gastroparesis, a condition preventing the stomach muscles from working properly to push food into the small intestine. This made Katherine feel so sick, she was relying on anti-nausea medications to get through her days. In addition, she was born with a heart condition that prohibits certain kinds of rigorous exercise. Katherine’s gastroenterologist, Ibraheem Mizyed, M.D. ... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ (Sept. 22, 2025) – The last several months of the year are often spent enjoying cooler weather, watching football and preparing for the holidays. This is also a great time to review your health plan to determine whether you’ve met or are close to meeting your insurance deductible. If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), it’s time to check the balance for the remainder of the year. Scheduling elective procedures and preventive screenings before the end of the year can help to maximize y... ... Read More

TUCSON, AZ (Sept. 18, 2025) – Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States – and the statistics on the rates by age have surprised the medical community. Between 2012 and 2021, more colorectal cancer cases were identified in adults under the age of 50 each year, while the rates for adults 50 and older have decreased over the same period. The American Cancer Society estimates about 107,320 new cases of colon cancer and 46,950 new cases of rectal cancer will be f... ... Read More