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Heart Disease

Heart Disease services offered in Upper West Side Manhattan, New York, NY

Heart Disease services offered in Upper West Side Manhattan, New York, NY

Heart disease is a silent condition in many cases, meaning you don’t realize anything is wrong until you have a major complication like a heart attack. At Central Park West Primary Care and Cardiology Physicians on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York, Haleh Milani, MD, FACC, and the team provide preventive care, cardiology evaluations, and individualized treatment to reduce your risk of the disease and improve your cardiovascular health. Call the office to schedule an appointment or book your visit online today. 

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is a term that covers multiple conditions affecting the heart. It isn’t one singular condition. When people talk about heart disease, they most often are referring to coronary artery disease (CAD), which makes it difficult for blood to flow into your heart. This is because of plaque buildup along the inner walls of your coronary arteries. 

 

Heart disease can also refer to these conditions:

 

  • Arrhythmias
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Heart failure
  • Heart valve diseases
  • Cardiomyopathy

 

While many forms of heart disease come with no discernible symptoms, they increase your risk of dangerous cardiac events like heart attack. Sometimes, a heart attack is your first indication that anything was wrong in the first place. 

 

Heart failure can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling in various parts of your body. 

How is heart disease diagnosed?

 

Central Park West Primary Care and Cardiology Physicians performs a physical examination initially to investigate your heart health. They also have the tools and resources to test your cardiovascular function in many ways, which offers further insight. 

 

Your provider might use one or more of the following tests to determine whether you have heart disease:

 

  • Echocardiograms 
  • Stress testing
  • Ambulatory monitors
  • Cardiac computerized tomography (CT)
  • Blood tests

 

If your provider diagnoses heart disease, they explain the type to you in detail before designing your personalized care plan. 

How can I manage heart disease?

 

Managing heart disease involves individualized treatment, often with healthy lifestyle changes at its core. 

 

Central Park West Primary Care and Cardiology Physicians can help you develop a heart-friendly diet, which excludes saturated fats and focuses on whole foods like grains, veggies, and fruits. They also advise you to stop smoking, cut back on alcohol, and exercise regularly.

 

You may need to take medications for your heart disease or participate in a supervised cardiac rehabilitation program. 

 

Surgery is sometimes necessary, though conservative care is preferable. Minimally invasive options have lower complication rates than open heart surgery and may be recommended as part of your care plan if conservative treatments don’t give you significant improvements. 

 

Call Central Park West Primary Care and Cardiology Physicians or book your heart disease evaluation online today.