Karla Campos-Arce

Dr. Campos is the Assistant Director for the Women’s Focused Research and Training Program in the Center for Women’s Heart & Vascular Health at The Texas Heart Institute. Originally from Costa Rica and trained as a physician, she is now fully dedicated to cardiovascular research and education. She received her medical degree at Universidad de Iberoamerica in Costa Rica and completed an internship in medicine and general surgery in San Jose, Costa Rica. She specialized in pediatric surgery at the National Children's Hospital in Costa Rica. Show full bio

Dr. Campos was dedicated to treating pediatric burn victims in Costa Rica and other Central American countries, eventually bringing her to Houston’s Shriners Hospital for Children for further experience. While providing critical-care education to burn victims and their families transported to the Texas Medical Center in Houston, she realized the importance of education to improve care. Through her work with Shriners Hospital, she was exposed to exceptional research and treatment programs that included longitudinal outcome assessments, outreach clinics to rural areas, and investigations into techniques to improve functional outcomes.

She then did fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease Research and Women’s Heart Health Research at The Texas Heart Institute, eventually joining the Women’s Center as a researcher. She is active in multiple research projects, including projects on echocardiography, valvular heart disease and percutaneous valve outcomes, coronary artery anomalies, the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease, fibromuscular dysplasia, women’s preventive medicine, and the development of digital educational materials. She oversees the Houston HeartReach Registry (HHR) and the Percutaneous Valve Registry.

Her research interests have been primarily influenced by her interactions with the underserved and underinsured Spanish-speaking community. Through the Houston HeartReach project, she enjoys working with established and reputable community organizations such as nationally recognized non-profits BakerRipley and LHI, which are dedicated to eliminating barriers to healthcare and promoting health and wellness. Since the launch of the HoustonHeart Reach study and registry, Dr. Campos has enrolled and screened over 1600 women in the program.

Dr. Campos also supports clinical education by serving as a supervisor for The Texas Heart Institute Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

See Publications

Education

  • Medical School:

    Universidad de Iberoamerica Costa Rica

  • Internship:

    Hospital Mexico
    Hospital Nacional De Ninos in San Jose, Costa Rica (General Surgery)

Publications

Coulter, S. A. and Campos, K. (2022). Artificial intelligence in echocardiography. Tex Heart Inst J 49, e217671. https://doi.org/10.14503/THIJ-21-7671.
Campos, K., Sheth, S. and Coulter, S. A. (2016). Hypertension treatment ACCORDing to SPRINT. Tex Heart Inst J 43, 324–327. https://doi.org/10.14503/THIJ-16-5908.
Coulter, S. and Campos, K. (2014). Thrombosis on a mechanical mitral valve anticoagulated with dabigatran. J Thromb Thrombolysis 37, 84–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-013-0935-7.
Marcano, J., Campos, K., Rodriguez, V. et al. (2013). Intrapericardial delivery of amiodarone rapidly achieves therapeutic levels in the atrium. Heart Surg Forum 16, E279-286
Coulter, S. A. and Campos, K. (2012). Identify and treat depression for reduced cardiac risk and improved outcomes. Tex Heart Inst J 39, 231–234

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