LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCIES
Critical Care for Life-Threatening Emergencies in Houston
At The Heights Emergency Room, a board-certified emergency physician is on site 24 hours a day to evaluate you, begin treatment, and stabilize you. If you need hospital admission, our staff arranges ambulance transfer.
Open 24/7 • Walk-Ins Welcome • No Appointment Required
WHAT TO EXPECT
How We Handle a Critical Emergency
Call 911 First
Paramedics can begin treatment on the way to the ER.
Physician at the Bedside
A board-certified emergency physician is on site around the clock.
EKG and Oxygen Checks
A heart tracing and an oxygen reading help guide the first decisions.
CT and X-Ray On Site
Imaging helps look for bleeding in the head and for injuries elsewhere.
Lab Testing
Blood tests give your physician more information while treatment begins.
Transfer When You Need a Hospital
Our staff arranges ambulance transport to the hospital of your choice.
The tests and treatments you receive depend on your physician’s evaluation of your symptoms.
KNOW THE SIGNS
What Counts as a Life-Threatening Emergency?
A life-threatening emergency is a sudden problem that can cause death or lasting harm within minutes to hours if it isn’t treated: a heart attack, a stroke, a severe allergic reaction, severe trouble breathing, or heavy bleeding. Symptoms don’t always look dramatic, and they can be milder in women, older adults, and people with diabetes.
Stroke treatment is time-sensitive, so note when symptoms began and tell the paramedics or the ER team. If symptoms fade on their own, you still need to be evaluated.
Get emergency help right away for:
- Chest pressure, tightness, or pain, with or without pain spreading to the arm, jaw, or back
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or loss of balance
- A sudden, severe headache with no known cause
- Hives with swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat
- Trouble breathing or wheezing that is getting worse
- Fainting, or a rapid, weak pulse with dizziness
- Bleeding that will not stop
PATIENT REVIEWS
What Patients Say About The Heights Emergency Room
4.7
★★★★★
Based on 664 Google reviews (as of October 2026)
Patients frequently mention a welcoming atmosphere and a clean facility.
E
Erika M. on Google
★★★★★
My sister went into anaphylactic shock while at work and her airway started to close. When we walked in the receptionist took one look at her swelling and ushered us to a medical suite. … I am immensely grateful to the care staff here. Their professionalism and efficiency went a long way to keep my sister calm during the whole process.
K
Kendi on Google
★★★★★
I had a great experience at The Heights Emergency Room after a head injury. … Dr. Zahid was very thorough in his evaluation and took the time to explain everything clearly. … I’m very grateful for the excellent care I received and would highly recommend The Heights Emergency Room!
A
Ahson W. on Google
★★★★★
Very good service. I brought my son here and they very quickly attended to him. … Abdullah took my son’s blood and Pablo administered the CT scan. … Dr. Khan explained the results thoroughly and professionally.
M
Michelle R. on Google
★★★★★
I had a great experience at this ER. The facility was very clean, and the staff was attentive, professional, and compassionate. They took the time to listen to my concerns and made sure all of my needs were addressed. I felt well cared for throughout my visit.
S
Samantha M. on Google
★★★★★
The staff here are amazing!! I had an embarrassing and painful health issue. … This staff made me feel so comfortable and supported through the pain, I didn’t feel embarrassed. … I left feeling heard, educated, and 1000% better!
Need emergency care now?
The Heights Emergency Room is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. No appointment needed.
Reviews reflect individual patient experiences; care and outcomes vary.
Not Sure It Is an Emergency?
Chest, breathing, and stroke symptoms are worth getting checked right away. If you can safely get here, walk in. If symptoms are severe, call 911.
Don’t drive yourself if you feel faint, confused, or very short of breath.
On This Page
Open 24/7 for Emergencies
Emergency evaluation is available day and night at The Heights Emergency Room.
Heart Attack: What to Do
Don’t wait to see whether the pain passes.
Warning signs
- Pressure, squeezing, or aching in the chest
- Pain spreading to the shoulder, arm, neck, jaw, or back
- Shortness of breath, nausea, or a cold sweat
- Unusual fatigue or lightheadedness
Call 911. If an ambulance can’t come to you, have someone else drive you to the nearest emergency room rather than driving yourself. Women, older adults, and people with diabetes may have milder or less typical symptoms.
Stroke: What to Do
Minutes matter, so act on the first sign.
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side), sudden confusion or trouble speaking, trouble seeing, trouble walking or loss of balance, and a sudden severe headache with no known cause are all warning signs.
Call 911 and note the time symptoms started. Treatment options depend on how recently symptoms began, and paramedics can start care on the way. Our stroke ER page has more detail.
ANAPHYLAXIS
Severe Allergic Reactions: Epinephrine First, Then 911
Anaphylaxis can progress quickly.
Signs include hives or flushed skin, swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, wheezing or trouble breathing, vomiting, a rapid weak pulse, and dizziness or fainting. If you have a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector, use it right away, then call 911.
Get emergency care even if you feel better after the injection. A second wave of symptoms, called a biphasic reaction, can follow once the first has settled, without any new exposure. Our allergic reaction page also covers milder reactions and when to come in.
AT THE ER
What Happens When a Critical Patient Arrives
The most serious problems are always handled first.
The emergency physician screens and examines you and goes over your health history. Depending on your symptoms, that can include checking vital signs and oxygen level, an EKG, blood tests, and imaging such as a CT scan or digital X-ray. Treatment can begin while testing is underway.
Our role is to evaluate and stabilize. If you need hospital admission, a procedure, or specialist care, our staff arranges ambulance transport to the hospital of your choice and coordinates with the receiving hospital so it is prepared for you. Our Patient FAQs explain how transfers work.
Which Critical Conditions Do We Evaluate?
These are among the emergencies our physicians evaluate and stabilize:
Heart attack and chest pain
EKG, blood tests, and physician evaluation, with transfer when a hospital is needed.
Stroke symptoms
CT imaging, physician evaluation, and ambulance transfer when needed.
Severe allergic reactions
Evaluation, monitoring, and emergency medicines as your physician directs.
Severe trouble breathing
Oxygen, pulse oximetry, and nebulizer treatments as needed.
Your physician decides which tests and treatments fit your symptoms, and arranges transfer if you need a level of care we don’t offer.
QUICK ANSWERS
Critical Care Questions, Answered
Should I call 911 or drive to the ER for chest pain?
Call 911. Paramedics can begin treatment on the way, and they can reach you faster than you can safely reach us. If no ambulance can come, have someone else drive you rather than driving yourself. If your chest pain is mild and you aren’t sure what it is, our chest pain page explains when an ER visit makes sense.
Does The Heights ER have an ICU?
We are a freestanding emergency room, not a hospital, so patients who need hospital admission, including intensive care, are transferred. Our physicians evaluate and stabilize you first, and our staff arranges ambulance transport to the hospital of your choice. We coordinate with the receiving hospital so it is prepared for your arrival.
What can the ER do for a suspected stroke?
Our emergency physician can examine you, order a CT scan of the head to look for bleeding, run lab tests, and arrange ambulance transfer to a hospital for further care. Stroke treatment is time-sensitive, so call 911 at the first warning sign and note when your symptoms began.
Is it safe to wait if my symptoms go away?
Not always. Brief stroke-like symptoms can be a warning of a larger stroke, and an allergic reaction can return after you start to feel better. If symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, or severe allergic reaction appear and then fade, you still need medical care right away.
Who is seen first when several patients arrive at once?
The patients with the most serious conditions are always seen first, regardless of who arrived earlier. Someone with chest pain or stroke signs is evaluated ahead of someone with a minor injury, which is how emergency care works everywhere. You can also check in online before you arrive.
EMERGENCY SAFETY
When Is 911 the Better First Call?
For most of the situations on this page, 911 is the right first call.
Call 911 for:
- Face drooping, arm weakness, or slurred speech
- Chest pain with trouble breathing, sweating, or nausea
- Swelling of the face, lips, or throat
- Severe bleeding that won’t stop
- Fainting, or someone who is unresponsive
- Severe trouble breathing
- A seizure
- A serious head injury or loss of consciousness
Paramedics can begin treatment, including oxygen and heart monitoring, before you arrive at the ER.
Don’t drive yourself if you feel faint, confused, or very short of breath.
Emergency Services Available 24/7
Critical emergencies don’t wait for business hours. The Heights Emergency Room is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Emergency Physician
Board-certified, on site 24/7.
EKG
Heart rhythm checks.
CT Scan
Detailed internal imaging.
Digital X-Ray
Fractures and chest imaging.
Lab Testing
Blood and urine tests.
Oxygen & Pulse Oximetry
Oxygen level checks and support.
Testing and treatment depend on your symptoms and the physician’s evaluation.
Emergency Care Near Houston Heights
The Heights Emergency Room is a freestanding emergency room at 101 N Loop W #300, Houston, TX 77018, along the North Loop (610). It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for adults and children with life-threatening emergencies and can be reached at (281) 560-4373.
The Heights Emergency Room
101 N Loop W #300
Houston, TX 77018
Houston, TX 77018
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
If you are searching for:
- Emergency room near me open now
- ER for chest pain in Houston
- Stroke symptoms ER near Houston Heights
- 24-hour emergency room near Garden Oaks
If it may be life-threatening, call 911 first.
Serving Houston Heights and Nearby Neighborhoods
Patients with critical emergencies come to us from across central and northwest Houston—including Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Houston Heights, Timbergrove, Woodland Heights, Independence Heights, the Northside, Rice Military, the Washington Avenue corridor, First Ward, and Downtown. If it is life-threatening, call 911. If you can safely travel and aren’t sure how serious it is, our North Loop location is a short drive from many of these neighborhoods.
ZIP 77018
Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, and Independence Heights / Central Northwest
ZIP 77008
Houston Heights, Lazybrook, and Timbergrove
ZIP 77009
Heights East, Northside, and the Woodland Heights area
ZIP 77022
Independence Heights and Northline / Northside
ZIP 77007
Washington Avenue, Rice Military, the western and southern Heights, and First Ward
ZIP 77002
Downtown, northern Downtown, and nearby First Ward areas
Travel times vary with traffic and time of day.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
We evaluate and stabilize patients with signs of a heart attack or stroke, and our staff arranges ambulance transfer when you need a hospital. If you suspect either one, call 911 first so paramedics can begin care.
No. We are a walk-in ER open 24/7, and you can also check in online before you arrive.
We treat patients of all ages and have a patient room dedicated to children. For a child who is unresponsive, having a seizure, or struggling to breathe, call 911.
Our staff arranges ambulance transport to the hospital of your choice and coordinates with the receiving hospital so it is prepared for your arrival.
No. We are a freestanding emergency room licensed by the State of Texas and structurally separate from a hospital. Texas defines the care we provide as services to evaluate and stabilize conditions of recent onset and severity.
We bill your insurance company’s emergency room benefits as an out-of-network provider for all health plans, and we are unable to accept Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or TRICARE at this time. Self-pay is available. As a freestanding ER we may charge a facility fee, and the physician may bill separately. See our billing information page.
Yes. Our CT scan, digital X-ray, and lab are on site, and an emergency physician is here 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Medical disclaimer: This page provides general health information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
If You Can Safely Get Here, Come In. If Not, Call 911.
The Heights Emergency Room is open around the clock with an emergency physician on site, plus an on-site lab, digital X-ray, and CT scan.
Signs of a heart attack or stroke? Call 911 first.
