Cardiovascular conditions affect the essential components of your circulatory system. At Cardiac Associates of North Jersey, we offer specialized treatment for diseases affecting the pericardial sac, blood flow supply, heart rhythm, and heart valve.
Our same-week appointments for cardiology consultations and same-day visits for primary care assessments ensure swift care when needed.
Coronary heart disease happens when your heart's blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. Over time, the walls of your arteries can become furred up with fatty deposits.
The first stages of an artery blockage may not produce symptoms. However, once blood supply is significantly blocked, and symptoms such as chest pain or chest pressure may start to appear.
A cardiac arrhythmia happens when the electrical impulses in charge of pumping the heart stop working properly. Although symptoms don’t always appear, these may include chest pain, fainting, dizziness, and chest fluttering.
Common treatment plans for heart rhythm disorders include medication management, implantable devices like pacemakers, or minimally invasive surgery.
The tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves allow blood to flow in the right direction from the heart to the rest of the body. When a heart valve disease occurs, these become damaged, and proper blood flow is not achieved, leading to symptoms like:
- Heart murmurs
- Chest pain
- Abdominal swelling
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
Pericardial disease affects the sac that surrounds the heart, called the pericardium. This sac helps the heart stay in the proper position, prevents it from overfilling with blood, and protects it from becoming damaged due to chest infections.
Pericardial disease is often characterized by the following symptoms:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Discomfort while lying down
- Chest pain behind the breastbones
- Lightheadedness
- Swelling in the abdomen or legs
The risk of developing a cardiovascular condition is significantly greater for those who have poor lifestyle and health habits, such as:
- Smoking
- High levels of stress
- Heavy drinking
- High blood pressure or cholesterol
- Not doing enough exercise
Although not all risk factors can be changed, as they may be linked to family medical history or genetic issues, some lifestyle choices significantly decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular conditions. These include but are not limited to:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising regularly
- Reducing your stress level
- Avoiding all tobacco products, including cigarettes and vaping
- Managing your cholesterol and blood pressure
- Manage your diabetes
Most of the time, cardiovascular conditions can be effectively treated with non-invasive measures, such as integrating the previously mentioned healthy habits. Medications and procedures can improve narrowed or blocked arteries when these measures need additional healthcare support.
Our cutting-edge interventional cardiology services include procedures like angioplasty and mitral valve or aortic valve repair and replacement, always led by our expert team.