by cardiopulmonarydiagnostic | Aug 9, 2026 | Uncategorized
High cholesterol is a common — but serious — health problem. Cholesterol is a substance that your body uses to build cells, but having high cholesterol means there’s too much of it in your blood.
Excess cholesterol can build up in your arteries, narrowing them and making your heart work harder over time. When you have high cholesterol, your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, is higher, too.
Fortunately, you can improve your cholesterol levels and your health. Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute are here to teach you how.
Understanding your cholesterol numbers
Cholesterol tests measure two main types of cholesterol in your blood: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).
HDL is often called the “good” cholesterol, because it removes excess cholesterol from your blood and takes it to your liver. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol, because this is the type that builds up in your arteries and increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.
When you get a cholesterol test, Dr. Patel takes a small sample of your blood and measures your HDL and LDL. Your cholesterol is in a healthy range if your HDL is 60 or higher, your LDL is under 100, and your total cholesterol is under 200.
You’re considered at risk if your HDL is 40-59 (for men) or 50-59 (for women), your LDL is 100-159, and your total cholesterol is between 200-239.
You’re diagnosed with high cholesterol if your HDL is under 40 (for men) or under 50 (for women), your LDL is 160 or higher, and your total cholesterol is 240 or higher.
Many cholesterol tests also measure triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. High triglyceride levels can also increase your risk of heart disease.
How to lower your high cholesterol
Whether you already have high cholesterol or your cholesterol test showed that you’re at risk, it’s not too late to improve your numbers. Lifestyle habits are the main contributor to harmful cholesterol levels, and making healthy changes is an effective way to lower your cholesterol.
A few of the changes Dr. Patel and our team recommend are:
1. Getting regular exercise
Physical activity is one of the best ways to manage your cholesterol naturally, and we recommend making a habit of exercise for better heart health. Exercise increases your good cholesterol levels and decreases both bad cholesterol and blood pressure.
You should aim to get about 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days a week. Along with controlling cholesterol levels, exercise helps you lose extra pounds. Maintaining a healthy weight can also help lower your risk of heart disease and other complications.
2. Eating a heart-healthy diet
Trans fats contribute to high cholesterol, and eating foods that contain this type of fat can raise your cholesterol levels. Avoid foods that have “hydrogenated oils” in the ingredients, as these contain trans fats. Packaged baked goods, fast foods, and processed snack foods may contain trans fats.
Eating too many foods with saturated fats may also contribute to high cholesterol levels, so try to limit your intake of fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
Instead, focus on eating foods low in fat, salt, and added sugars. Choose low-fat dairy products, lean meats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil and nuts. Foods high in fiber (like beans and oats) can help reduce bad cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol levels.
3. Quitting smoking
Smoking elevates bad cholesterol levels and reduces good cholesterol levels. The chemicals in cigarette smoke damage your blood vessels, which hardens your arteries and makes it more likely that bad cholesterol will build up.
If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quitting can have a positive impact on your cholesterol levels and your heart health. Talk with Dr. Patel and our team to get help with smoking cessation.
4. Limiting alcohol
While some research indicates that red wine offers heart-health benefits, too much alcohol can raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which increases your risk of heart disease and other heart problems.
Avoid drinking too much alcohol. In general, that means no more than two drinks a day for men and no more than one drink a day for women.
Surprised by your cholesterol numbers? You’re not alone, and it’s not too late to change them. Book an appointment online or call the NJ Cardiovascular Institute office nearest you to get personalized support for better heart health.
by cardiopulmonarydiagnostic | Aug 9, 2026 | Uncategorized
The heart is the hardest-working muscle in the human body. It beats more than 100,000 times and pumps 2,000 gallons of blood each and every day.
You rely on your heart to send oxygen and other nutrients throughout your body, so it’s no surprise that your heart health affects your overall well-being. Your overall health affects your heart too, and taking care of both is important.
Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute specialize in treating both acute and chronic heart conditions, and we’re here to help you build heart-healthy habits in your daily life.
Our unique Heart Smart Program takes a comprehensive approach to cardiovascular wellness. With components from nutritional counseling to pain management, the program brings education and professional support together just for you.
Components of our Heart Smart Program
Dr. Patel and our team prioritize patient education to make heart health easier at home. We offer educational sessions, along with top-tier cardiovascular care, to patients involved in our Heart Smart Program. The program is tailored to meet your needs, and may include managing your chronic condition, making lifestyle changes, and performing diagnostic testing when needed.
Chronic condition management
Many heart conditions are chronic, which means they need ongoing care. The Heart Smart Program provides ongoing management of your chronic condition, including heart rhythm monitoring, pain management, and medication management. We check in with you regularly to ensure your treatments remain effective.
Lifestyle support
Taking care of your heart means making healthy changes in many aspects of your life. If you’re recently diagnosed with a heart condition, all the changes might seem overwhelming, but the Heart Smart Program can help.
Our team offers nutrition counseling to help you learn about eating heart-healthy foods. We can recommend exercise regimens to strengthen your body safely, and we have healthy lifestyle programs so you can find the support you need.
Diagnostic services
Diagnostic testing is the most effective way to identify your heart condition, but health screenings don’t stop once you have a diagnosis. Dr. Patel and our team use a range of diagnostic tests to assess how well your treatment plan is working.
A few common diagnostic tests we rely on include stress testing, ultrasound, echocardiogram, and ankle-brachial index (ABI) testing.
Is the Heart Smart Program right for me?
As a comprehensive wellness program specifically designed for people with heart problems, it could protect and improve your health if you have a history of heart problems.
Common symptoms that could indicate a heart problem include:
Chest pain
Heart palpitations
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
Shortness of breath
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek a professional diagnosis. Our team is highly trained in diagnosing and treating a range of heart conditions, so you can enjoy your best possible health.
The Heart Smart Program is a good option for people with chronic heart conditions and/or a history of heart problems, like:
Cardiac surgery
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Heart attack
Heart disease
Heart stents or angioplasty
High blood pressure
Pacemaker
Systolic heart failure
The program starts with a comprehensive evaluation. We take your medical history and existing health issues into account, partnering with you to manage your condition and improve your quality of life. We’re with you each step of the way to answer your questions, provide accountability, and promote your health.
Ready to find out how our Heart Smart Program could help you? Contact us online or over the phone to schedule a consultation with Dr. Patel at one of our offices in Secaucus, Newark, or Paramus, New Jersey.
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by cardiopulmonarydiagnostic | Aug 9, 2026 | Uncategorized
Heart disease is the cause of about one in every three deaths in the United States. It’s the leading cause of death for men and women, yet it’s a common misconception that men are at greater risk for heart problems than women.
Many people assume that only older individuals, particular older men, are at risk for heart attack. But if your heart health is compromised, a heart attack can happen at any age and to either sex.
The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain for both women and men. But women are more likely to suffer a heart attack with more subtle symptoms, which makes recognizing a heart attack more difficult — unless you know what to look for.
At NJ Cardiovascular Institute, our team is here to help you understand the most common signs of heart attacks in women. We regularly diagnose and treat heart disease to help women of all ages live longer, healthier lives.
Heart attack symptoms go beyond chest pain
Portrayals in movies and TV shows often make heart attacks look like sudden, crushing chest pain. While chest discomfort, pressure, or pain are common symptoms of heart attack, they aren’t the only ones.
Women are more likely than men to have more subtle heart attack symptoms that may be unrelated to the chest. You could be having a heart attack if you experience pain in your:
Arms
Shoulder
Upper back
Abdomen
Neck
Jaw
Heart attack symptoms unrelated to physical pain include:
Nausea or vomiting
Shortness of breath
Lightheadedness
Weakness
Fatigue
Indigestion
Symptoms can be vague, and many women brush them off because they’re not widely known as signs of a heart attack. Learning to recognize the more subtle symptoms can help you identify a cardiac event sooner before permanent damage occurs.
Symptoms can last for days
Since many symptoms of a heart attack in women don’t include chest pain, they’re often overlooked. Unusual fatigue, nausea, weakness, and other signs may be mistaken for illnesses such as the flu.
Vague symptoms make heart attack harder to identify, but women are also more likely to dismiss or minimize their symptoms in comparison to men. In fact, one study found that women waited 54 hours to seek treatment for heart attack symptoms, compared to men who waited just 16 hours.
If you think you or a loved one is suffering a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Follow the operator’s instructions and try to take slow, deep breaths until help arrives. Seeking treatment as early as possible increases your chances of a full recovery.
Understand your risk of heart disease
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women and men. But both heart attacks and heart disease can appear differently in women than in men. This disparity means that women are more likely to have undiagnosed heart conditions, and they may not even know when they’re at risk for heart attack.
If you’re a woman, it’s important to educate yourself about your heart health. Risk factors that increase your chances of heart disease and heart attack include:
Obesity
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Sedentary lifestyle
Menopause
Stress
Depression
Smoking
Heart disease is common, but it’s preventable in many cases. Our team is dedicated to helping you strengthen your heart and live your healthiest life.
We partner with you, evaluating your medical history, family history, and current condition to propose a heart-healthy plan that’s right for you. Managing pre-existing conditions and making a range of healthy lifestyle choices can make a big difference for your heart and help reduce your risk of heart attack.
Trust your heart health to our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute. To learn more about the risks of heart disease and how to spot a heart attack, book an appointment at one of our offices in Newark, Secaucus, or Paramus, New Jersey. Use the online scheduler or give us a call.
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by cardiopulmonarydiagnostic | Aug 9, 2026 | Uncategorized
Are you scheduled for an echocardiogram? You might be wondering what it involves and what to expect afterward — and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute is here to help. An echocardiogram is a common, noninvasive test that gives your cardiologist a detailed look at how your heart is functioning.
Kunal Patel, MD, and our team perform echocardiograms to help diagnose and monitor a variety of heart conditions. So whether you’re managing a known heart issue or checking on new symptoms, here’s what you should know about the process and what comes next.
Why you might need an echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your heart. It uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart's chambers, valves, walls, and blood vessels. This test allows us to see how your heart beats and how well it pumps blood without an invasive procedure.
We use echocardiograms to detect a variety of issues, including:
Heart valve problems
Heart muscle weakness or damage
Congenital heart defects
Blood clots or fluid around the heart
Enlargement of the heart
Identifying issues like these helps us diagnose conditions like heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or valvular heart disease. We can also use echocardiograms to monitor known heart issues over time.
What happens during an echocardiogram
During the test, you lie down on an exam table while one of our technicians applies a special gel to your chest. Then, we move a handheld device called a transducer over your chest to capture images of your heart. The procedure is painless and typically takes 30-60 minutes.
Sometimes, Dr. Patel orders a stress echocardiogram, which involves exercising or receiving medication before the test to see how your heart performs under stress.
Depending on your situation, we might use a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), which involves inserting the transducer through your esophagus under mild sedation to get more detailed images of your heart at work.
What to expect after your echocardiogram
Once your testing is complete, there’s no recovery time required. If you’ve had a TEE, you may need a short observation period as the sedation wears off.
The technician who performs your echocardiogram isn’t responsible for interpreting the results, so don’t be concerned if they don’t offer any immediate insights. Instead, Dr. Patel reviews the images and data. He analyzes things like:
The size and shape of your heart
The movement and function of your heart walls and valves
The flow of blood through your heart
Once Dr. Patel has reviewed your echocardiogram, our team either calls you or schedules a follow-up appointment so you and Dr. Patel can discuss the findings.
Discussing echocardiogram results with your cardiologist
During your follow-up, Dr. Patel goes over the results of your echocardiogram in detail. If your heart function is normal, no further action may be needed. However, if any issues are detected, he explains his diagnosis and recommends next steps, which may include lifestyle changes, medications, or further testing.
At NJ Cardiovascular Institute — with offices in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey — we’re here to help you understand your heart health and guide you through any testing and treatment you may need.
If you have questions about your echocardiogram or heart care, we’re just a phone call away. Contact us today to get started.
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by cardiopulmonarydiagnostic | Aug 9, 2026 | Uncategorized
February is about more than love notes, roses, and candy hearts — it’s also American Heart Month: a time dedicated to promoting awareness and education about ways to live a heart-healthy life.
Nearly half of all American adults are living with high blood pressure, also called hypertension. It’s extremely common, but it also demands to be taken seriously. High blood pressure poses severe risks to your cardiovascular health, and now’s the time to learn more.
Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute specialize in heart health, and we serve patients at our offices in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey. And this month, we’re taking a closer look at the dangers of high blood pressure and what you can do to stay healthier.
High blood pressure: understanding the silent threat
When your heart pumps blood through your body, the blood puts pressure against the walls of your veins. A small amount of pressure is essential for blood to reach all the corners of your body, but a high blood pressure diagnosis means the pressure is consistently too high.
Elevated blood pressure is dangerous because it can damage your arteries, leading to a myriad of health problems. Unfortunately, high blood pressure rarely causes noticeable symptoms in its early stages.
In fact, high blood pressure is often referred to as the "silent killer" because it can cause serious damage before it's detected. Some of the dangers associated with high blood pressure include:
Heart attack and stroke
High blood pressure can make your arteries harder and thicker over time. This damage makes your heart work harder to pump blood and increases your risk of having a medical emergency like a heart attack or stroke.
Cardiovascular disease
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Persistent high blood pressure can contribute to conditions like coronary artery disease and heart failure, because the increased workload on your heart can weaken it over time.
Kidney damage
Your kidneys help regulate blood pressure by managing the balance of fluids in your body. Hypertension can damage the arteries around your kidneys, affecting their ability to function properly. This damage may lead to kidney failure or lead to the need for dialysis.
Vision impairment
The tiny blood vessels in your eyes are susceptible to damage from high blood pressure. This damage can result in vision problems or, in severe cases, lead to blindness. If you have high blood pressure, regular eye check-ups are important to monitor and address any potential issues.
Cognitive decline
Recent research has suggested a connection between high blood pressure and cognitive decline, including an increased risk of vascular dementia. The impact of hypertension on the blood vessels in your brain can hinder your ability to remember, learn, and think.
Managing high blood pressure
Left unchecked, high blood pressure poses a serious threat. But the good news is that it’s a manageable condition with the right care.
Dr. Patel and our team specialize in holistic heart care with our Heart Smart Program, and we take a multifaceted approach to blood pressure management. Depending on your unique health needs, we may recommend a combination of:
Eating a heart-healthy diet
Engaging in regular exercise
Managing your weight
Reducing stress
Taking blood pressure medication
Understanding the dangers of high blood pressure is the first step in taking control of your cardiovascular health. Learn more and take action with an appointment at NJ Cardiovascular Institute. Call the office nearest you or send us a message online today.
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by cardiopulmonarydiagnostic | Aug 9, 2026 | Uncategorized
Varicose veins are enlarged, swollen veins that appear just under the surface of your skin. They’re usually blue or purple, and they’re most commonly found on the legs and feet.
Varicose veins form when faulty valves in your veins allow blood to flow backwards and pool up. All that excess blood enlarges the veins, making them appear discolored, twisted, and unsightly. While varicose veins are often brushed off as a cosmetic concern, they’re a common cause of discomfort — and they could even be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.
That means if you have varicose veins, it’s important to seek treatment. Kunal Patel, MD, is a vein specialist at NJ Cardiovascular Institute in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey. He has experience diagnosing and treating varicose veins, and our team is here to help you get the care you need.
Varicose vein treatment relieves your symptoms
Varicose veins can be unsightly and embarrassing, but seeking treatment for varicose veins goes far beyond simply improving your appearance. Here are a few reasons why Dr. Patel and our team always recommend treating varicose veins:
Improves your circulation
Varicose veins are a sign of poor circulation, which means your legs and feet may not be getting all the blood they need. Poor circulation can make your legs and feet feel tired and achy, and treatment can help improve your circulation and your symptoms.
Relieves discomfort
For many people, varicose veins cause uncomfortable symptoms like:
Aching, heavy-feeling legs
Muscle cramps
Swelling
Itchy skin
Pain or tenderness
Treatment eliminates the varicose vein, which helps alleviate these symptoms and improves your quality of life.
Prevents venous complications
Left untreated, varicose veins can lead to more serious vein problems. Your risk of blood clots, skin ulcers, and swelling may be higher if you have varicose veins. Fortunately, early treatment can help prevent these complications.
Improves your appearance and your confidence
Last but not least, treatment addresses the appearance of your veins. Varicose veins can be unsightly, and they may impact your self-confidence. Treating varicose veins can eliminate or reduce their appearance and boost your self-esteem.
Varicose vein treatment is customizable
There are several treatment options available for varicose veins. When you come to NJ Cardiovascular Institute for care, Dr. Patel does a physical exam, reviews your medical history, and asks questions about your symptoms.
Then, he develops a customized treatment plan for your varicose veins. He may recommend lifestyle changes first, such as regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding standing or sitting for long periods of time. Compression stockings can also help by applying gentle pressure to your veins to enhance circulation.
In more advanced cases, Dr. Patel may recommend medical treatment. He specializes in radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which gently heats the damaged veins to seal them and stop blood from entering.
The best treatment option for you depends on the severity of your varicose veins and any underlying medical conditions you may have. Together, you work with Dr. Patel to address your symptoms and improve your vascular health.
If you have varicose veins, don’t wait to schedule your evaluation. Call the NJ Cardiovascular Institute office nearest you or send us a message online to get started.
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