New research from medical students at the University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley is shining a light on heart disease.

Researchers hope their work will help better treat Hispanic patients.

"Our population, the Hispanic population, that we do serve here are not being treated and are not receiving the care they should have," UTRGV resident medical student Dr. Barbara Malaga said.

Malaga is trying to save lives within the Hispanic community by filling in the blanks. She, along with other residency students, are showing off the studies they've done on local patients, many with diabetes, heart diseases or cancer.

Malaga says this information will add to what she says is the lack of information on how serious illnesses impact Hispanics.

"But we can see here that the heart is bigger than half of all this diameter," Malaga said.

She studied a patient at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco. A Hispanic man in his early 40s with very high blood pressure and headaches.

A heart monitor shows his heart muscle was thick and under a lot of stress caused by the Coxsackie B virus.

Malaga believes the lack of insurance information and language barriers could lead some people to not seek a doctor and detect illnesses early.

A symposium held by UTRGV will continue through Saturday at the Mission Event Center.

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