by NJ Cardiovascular Institute | Apr 2, 2025 | Blog, Heart Health
Heart palpitations are a common sensation where your heart feels like it's racing, pounding, fluttering, or skipping beats. The episodes can happen when you’re active or resting, and you might feel them in your chest or your throat.
Palpitations can be unsettling, and it’s normal to want to know what’s behind them. Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute specialize in heart care, and we’re here to help you get to the root of your heart palpitations.
Most of the time, heart palpitations are harmless — but frequent or severe palpitations warrant a comprehensive evaluation to determine their underlying cause. Here’s what you should know.
Getting a comprehensive evaluation for heart palpitations
At NJ Cardiovascular Institute, we take your heart health seriously. That’s why we follow a systematic approach to diagnose the root cause of your heart palpitations and develop a personalized treatment plan.
Medical history and symptom review
We begin by discussing your medical history and current symptoms. This includes assessing lifestyle factors, like stress levels, exercise routines, and stimulant intake like caffeine or nicotine.
We ask questions about your emotional health and evaluate you for conditions like chronic stress, anxiety, depression, or panic disorders, all of which can contribute to heart palpitations.
Last but not least, we consider any existing medical conditions or known health issues you have. For example, thyroid disorders and anemia can impact heart health, and hormonal changes from pregnancy or menopause can also have an effect.
Diagnostic tests
Based on your initial assessment, Dr. Patel may recommend some diagnostic tests to better understand the potential causes of your heart palpitations. These can include:
Blood tests to detect preexisting conditions like anemia or thyroid imbalances
Stress test to evaluate how your heart functions under physical exertion
Doppler ultrasound to examine blood flow and pressure in your heart's chambers and valves
Echocardiogram, an ultrasound of your heart that provides detailed images of its structure and function
These evaluations aim to uncover any underlying conditions contributing to your palpitations. Once we understand what’s behind your heart palpitations, we work with you to address the issue and manage your health.
Understanding common causes and treatments for heart palpitations
Understanding the root cause of any health issue is key for effective treatment, and heart palpitations are no exception. Every case is unique, but some of the most common causes we see are:
Lifestyle factors
Stress, anxiety, excessive caffeine or nicotine intake, and strenuous exercise can all trigger palpitations. In these cases, we often recommend starting by proactively managing stress and reducing stimulant consumption to help alleviate symptoms.
Hormonal changes
Pregnancy, menopause, or thyroid imbalances can lead to palpitations. While pregnancy-related palpitations typically resolve on their own after delivery, addressing these other hormonal factors with medication and lifestyle adjustments can also help reduce palpitations.
Arrhythmias
Abnormal heart rhythms may cause palpitations. Treatment options range from medications to procedures like ablation, and treating the arrhythmia often has a positive effect on palpitations.
Medical conditions
Underlying conditions like hyperthyroidism or anemia can contribute to palpitations. Fortunately, by proactively managing the condition itself, you can reduce symptoms like palpitations and improve your overall well-being.
If you're experiencing heart palpitations and you’re concerned about what it might mean for your health, our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute is here for you. Contact us online or call our offices in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey, to schedule an evaluation and take proactive steps toward better heart health.
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by NJ Cardiovascular Institute | Mar 14, 2025 | Blog, Heart Health
A stress test evaluates how well your heart functions during physical exertion. It helps detect potential heart problems, like blocked arteries or irregular heart rhythms, by monitoring your heart rate, blood pressure, and electrical activity while you exercise.
If you’re scheduled for a stress test, you might be wondering what to expect and how to prepare. Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute offer stress testing in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey, and we’re here to answer your questions.
Most stress tests involve walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bike for a specific period of time. If you’re unable to engage in physical activity, we may give you medication that mimics the effects of exercise.
Our team provides specific instructions on how to prepare that are tailored to your health needs, but here are four common things you might need to do. Remember that proper preparation helps ensure the most accurate results, so it’s important to follow your personal instructions closely.
1. Modify your medication schedule
Certain medications, like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers, can affect your heart rate and blood pressure, which may impact the accuracy of your stress test results. In some cases, we may ask you to temporarily stop taking specific medications like these for a short period before your test.
It’s essential to follow our guidelines, because not all medications should be discontinued. If you have any questions about whether to take your medication on the day of the test, ask our team in advance.
2. Follow fasting guidelines
Depending on the type of stress test you’re having, you may need to avoid eating or drinking for several hours before your appointment. For example, if you are undergoing a nuclear stress test, fasting is typically required to ensure accurate imaging of your heart.
Even for a standard treadmill stress test, a avoiding heavy meal beforehand can help prevent nausea during exercise. If you need to take medication with food, ask us about the best approach to balance both requirements.
3. Avoid caffeine and tobacco
Caffeine and nicotine can significantly impact your heart rate and blood pressure, and potentially interfere with your test results. In general, we recommend avoiding caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and soda for at least 24 hours before your test. Even decaffeinated coffee still contains a small amount of caffeine that can stimulate your heart.
You should also avoid smoking or using nicotine products, as they can affect circulation and make it harder to get accurate readings.
4. Dress comfortably for exercise
Since most stress tests involve physical activity, wearing appropriate clothing and footwear is important. Choose loose-fitting, breathable clothes and comfortable athletic shoes that provide good support.
Avoid wearing jewelry or accessories that could interfere with the monitoring equipment. If you’re undergoing a pharmacologic stress test (one that doesn’t require exercise), you should still wear comfortable clothing so you can relax during the test.
Preparing for a stress test shouldn’t be stressful. Following these steps can help you have a positive experience and get accurate results — and remember, our team is here to guide you through the process. If you have questions about your preparation instructions, contact us at 201-866-7000 or send us a message online to learn more.
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by NJ Cardiovascular Institute | Feb 7, 2025 | Blog, Heart Health
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. And while it’s essential for bodily functions like hormone production and cell structure, imbalanced cholesterol levels — particularly high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad cholesterol” — may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
Managing your cholesterol levels is an important part of maintaining your best possible heart health, and your diet plays a role in helping you do that. Our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute is here to help you understand how diet impacts cholesterol, and what you can do about it.
Understanding the risks of high cholesterol
About 10% of American adults have high cholesterol, which develops when excess cholesterol builds up in your blood. High cholesterol often has no symptoms, but it can still lead to some serious health complications.
Excess cholesterol can combine with other substances and build up in your arteries, forming plaques that narrow or block blood flow. This condition is called atherosclerosis, a type of heart disease that increases your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease. That’s why understanding and managing your cholesterol is important for your long-term health.
How diet affects cholesterol levels
What you eat impacts your cholesterol, because certain foods can either raise or lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood. For example, trans fats, often found in processed snacks and baked goods, can increase LDL levels and reduce high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good cholesterol.”
While eating animal foods high in dietary cholesterol was once thought to significantly raise blood cholesterol levels, research shows that saturated and trans fats in processed foods have a greater impact on harmful LDL cholesterol.
On the other hand, incorporating fiber-rich foods into your diet can help lower cholesterol. Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, and fruits like apples, binds to cholesterol in your digestive system and helps remove it from your body. Healthy fats, like those in avocados, nuts, and fatty fish, can also improve your cholesterol profile by helping increase HDL and lower LDL.
How to eat a heart-healthy diet
If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol or you want to take preventive steps for heart health, your diet is a great place to start. Focus on eating nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Replace saturated fats with healthier options like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
Eat fiber-rich foods like vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruits, which can help lower LDL cholesterol levels. Reducing your intake of processed meats in favor of plant-based proteins, poultry, or fish high in omega-3 fats may also benefit your heart health.
Consistency in portion control and eating balanced, filling meals is key to making sustainable dietary changes. Keep an eye on your sodium and sugar intake to support your overall heart health, and remember that making these small but impactful changes can create a solid foundation for managing cholesterol effectively.
Get personalized advice with our Heart Smart Program
Not sure where to start? Our Heart Smart Program is designed to make heart-healthy living simpler. We provide expert guidance on adopting a healthier lifestyle, including dietary changes, exercise plans, and medication management when necessary.
Dr. Patel and our team evaluate your individual risk factors and health needs to create a plan that helps you lower cholesterol, improve cardiovascular health, and feel confident in your wellness journey. Making mindful dietary choices is one effective way to manage cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.
So don’t wait — take the first step toward better heart health today. To get started, call one of our offices in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, or Secaucus, New Jersey, or send us a message.
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by NJ Cardiovascular Institute | Jan 6, 2025 | Blog, Heart Health
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common heart condition that affects about 20 million adults in the United States. It develops when your coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart, become narrowed or blocked due to plaque buildup — a mix of cholesterol, minerals, and other substances.
Over time, this restriction reduces blood flow to your heart and increases your risk of heart attack and other severe complications. Anyone can get CAD, and understanding its symptoms and your personal risk factors is key to maintaining your best possible heart health.
Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute specialize in heart disease care in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey, and in this blog post, we share some of the most important facts you should know about CAD and its symptoms.
Recognizing the symptoms of coronary artery disease
CAD can be dangerous, because it doesn’t always present with obvious symptoms — especially in its early stages. That means you could have it without knowing it, and you could be at risk for developing more serious complications.
As CAD progresses and your coronary arteries become narrower, more obvious symptoms can develop. These may include:
Chest pain or discomfort (angina)
Chest pain is one of the most common signs of CAD. It may feel like pressure, tightness, or a squeezing sensation in your chest. Usually, chest pain caused by CAD is triggered by physical exertion or stress and relieved by rest.
Shortness of breath
If your heart struggles to pump blood efficiently, you may have difficulty catching your breath during everyday activities.
Fatigue
Reduced blood flow to your heart can leave you feeling unusually tired or weak.
Other symptoms
Sometimes, people with CAD may experience pain in their neck, jaw, back, or arms, or nausea and dizziness.
It’s important to note that not everyone with CAD experiences noticeable symptoms, and some people may have a heart attack as the first sign of the condition. Women, in particular, might have more subtle symptoms, like fatigue, nausea, or back pain, rather than classic chest pain.
Understanding your risk factors for coronary artery disease
For many people, the symptoms of CAD are subtle or nonexistent. That means understanding your risk factors for CAD is crucial, so you can get the heart care you need to to avoid serious complications before they happen.
Your risk of CAD goes up as you get older, and men are generally at higher risk earlier in life. A family history of heart disease can also raise your likelihood of developing CAD.
Smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise all contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries and increase your risk of CAD. Certain health conditions, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity also increase your risk.
By identifying your risk factors early, you can take steps to manage them and improve your overall heart health.
Taking a proactive approach to your heart health
You don’t have to wait for a serious medical event like a heart attack to start taking better care of your health. If you have risk factors or experience symptoms of CAD, get your heart health evaluated by a medical professional.
Dr. Patel and our team offer comprehensive heart testing to diagnose CAD and other heart issues. We might perform tests like an electrocardiogram (EKG), stress test, or advanced imaging to assess your heart function.
From there, we work with you to create a personalized care plan that might include lifestyle changes or medications. In some cases we need to perform interventional procedures — for example, if you already have advanced CAD and we need to improve blood flow to your heart.
Taking a proactive approach to CAD doesn’t just prevent complications — it can significantly improve your quality of life. If you’re concerned about your risk for CAD or you’re experiencing symptoms, don’t wait. Call us at 201-866-7000 to schedule an appointment with our team or send us a message online to learn more.
by NJ Cardiovascular Institute | Nov 8, 2024 | Blog, Heart Health
It’s estimated that up to 30% of American adults have metabolic syndrome: a cluster of conditions that occur together and can significantly increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These conditions include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
When these factors combine, they can disrupt your body’s metabolic processes — which often leads to a serious impact on your overall health. Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute offer care for high blood pressure and heart disease, and we're here to help you understand how metabolic syndrome affects your heart.
So if you’ve been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome or you’re at risk, here’s what you need to know about it.
The basics of metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome isn’t a single disease. To meet the criteria for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, a person must have three of the following risk factors that raise the risk of cardiovascular complications:
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High fasting blood sugar
High triglycerides
Low HDL (good) cholesterol
Excess abdominal fat
Having just one of these conditions doesn’t mean you have metabolic syndrome, but having three of them increases your chances of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.
How metabolic syndrome affects your cardiovascular health
High blood pressure is one of the main components of metabolic syndrome, and it directly impacts your heart health. When you have high blood pressure, your heart must work harder to pump blood throughout your body.
Along with high blood pressure, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol levels may contribute to plaque buildup in your arteries — a condition known as atherosclerosis. Your arteries get narrower and stiffer as plaque builds up, which limits blood flow to your heart and other organs.
Over time, the strain of high blood pressure can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. Atherosclerosis can also eventually lead to serious complications like coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.
The role of insulin resistance
Insulin resistance develops when your body becomes less effective at using the hormone insulin to regulate your blood sugar, and it’s a key driver of metabolic syndrome. When your body doesn't respond properly to insulin, your blood sugar levels remain high, which is called hyperglycemia.
Chronic high blood sugar damages your blood vessels over time and contributes to both diabetes and heart disease. Elevated blood sugar also prompts your pancreas to produce more insulin, further disrupting the body’s ability to regulate energy and fat storage.
Preventing and managing metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome can have a significant impact on your heart health and your overall well-being. But the good news is that it’s largely preventable and manageable with lifestyle changes. That means if you have metabolic syndrome, heart disease and other complications aren’t inevitable.
In fact, healthy eating, regular physical activity, weight loss, and quitting smoking are some of the most effective ways to combat the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Dr. Patel and our team offer the Heart Smart Program to help you make these changes in your own life.
The Heart Smart Program is a comprehensive cardiovascular health program designed to assess and manage your heart disease risk. It combines advanced diagnostic testing, personalized treatment plans, and lifestyle guidance to help you optimize your heart health and prevent future complications.
If you already have metabolic syndrome, we can prescribe blood pressure medicine and cholesterol-lowering medications, if you need them. We can also help you lose weight, if needed, and partner with you to manage your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
Regular check-ups with Dr. Patel are essential for monitoring your risk factors and ensuring they’re under control.
By making informed lifestyle choices and working closely with our team, metabolic syndrome doesn’t have to have a severe impact on your overall health. Learn more about your treatment options with a consultation at NJ Cardiovascular Institute. Call one of our offices in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, or Secaucus, New Jersey, or send us a message online.
by NJ Cardiovascular Institute | Sep 2, 2024 | Blog, Heart Health
Your heart beats around 100,000 times each day, and for the most part, you probably don’t give it much thought. That is, until you experience heart palpitations.
Heart palpitations can be a concerning experience for anyone. They’re sensations that make you unusually aware of your heartbeat, and they can make you wonder if something’s wrong.
Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute are here to help. Most heart palpitations are harmless, and understanding what heart palpitations feel like and some reasons why they happen is the first step to managing the condition.
What heart palpitations feel like
Heart palpitations are usually described in a few different ways. They can feel like a fluttering or racing sensation in your chest, as if your heart is beating too hard or too fast. Sometimes, heart palpitations feel like your heart has skipped beats or flip-flopped inside your chest.
The sensations can occur in your chest, throat, or neck. Palpitations can last for just a few seconds or continue for several minutes, and they may occur during activity or rest.
It’s important to note that the way palpitations feel can vary from person to person. Some people may experience them occasionally, while others might have them much more frequently. The intensity of the sensation can also differ, with some people barely noticing them and others finding them quite disturbing.
Why heart palpitations happen
When you feel heart palpitations, it’s normal to be worried about your heart health. However, there are many potential causes of heart palpitations that range from benign factors to more serious underlying conditions.
A few common causes of heart palpitations are:
Stress and anxiety
Emotional stress, panic attacks, and anxiety can trigger palpitations because your body responds to these stimuli with an increased heart rate.
Stimulants
Consuming caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or recreational drugs can cause palpitations because they stimulate your heart rate.
Exercise
Physical activity naturally increases your heart rate, which can sometimes cause palpitations, particularly if you aren’t used to regular exercise.
Hormonal changes
Pregnancy, menopause, and hormonal imbalances can all lead to palpitations because fluctuating hormone levels have a direct effect on your heart rate.
Medications
Certain medications, like decongestants, asthma inhalers, and some antidepressants, can cause palpitations as a side effect.
Medical conditions
Palpitations can be associated with medical conditions like hyperthyroidism, low blood sugar, anemia, dehydration, and heart-related issues like arrhythmias or heart disease.
When to go to the doctor for heart palpitations
Most heart palpitations are harmless — but if you’re concerned about your heart health, we recommend scheduling a consultation. Dr. Patel and our team can evaluate your heart and your symptoms to determine if medical treatment is necessary.
There are some instances when heart palpitations could be a sign of something more serious. You should always seek medical care if you experience palpitations along with any of the following symptoms:
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Dizziness or fainting
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Plus, if you have a history of heart disease or risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, it's a good idea to discuss any palpitations with your doctor. We can help determine if further evaluation or testing is needed to rule out any serious conditions.
Heart palpitations can be alarming, but understanding what they feel like and when to seek medical advice can help you feel more confident. Schedule a consultation and learn more at NJ Cardiovascular Institute in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey.
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