Stern Cardiovascular search Home Find a Doctor Patient Information Care & Treatment Clinical Trials News Contact Us About Stern Patient Info / Patient Education Patient Education At Stern Cardiovascular, patient education is a vital part of health care. Providing educational information empowers our patients to ask related questions and make informed decisions. We want our patients to be involved with their health care experience. We strive to make complex medical information easy to understand. We encourage you to ask questions. Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis is a condition in which the arteries are diseased with plaque build-up. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, and other substances in the blood. At Stern, we can provide you with a complete assessment for the prevention of atherosclerosis as well as treatment of already present atherosclerosis. Atrial Fibrillation Atrial Fibrillation is the most common abnormal rhythm affecting millions of people in the United States. AF is an irregular rhythm that occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat out of rhythm. As a result, an individual might experience no symptoms at all or an irregular pulse, palpitation, flutter, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, even fainting. The most concerting risk of AF is that it is one of the most common causes of stroke. At Stern, we are able to provide a complete assessment for the presence of atrial fibrillation as well as a short and long-term plan to manage this condition and prevent a stroke. Cardiovascular Disease Cardiovascular Disease generally refers to conditions that involve the heart, arteries, and veins of the body. There are multiple types of conditions that can affect the cardiovascular system. At Stern, if you are concerned that you might have cardiovascular disease, we can provide you with a complete evaluation, a plan to manage your condition and also a preventive program. Congestive Heart Failure Congestive heart failure is a condition that either leads to an inability for the heart to pump blood or an inability for the heart to relax and allow blood into the heart. This can lead to a build-up of fluid in the lungs and other body tissues and spaces. There are multiple different causes of congestive heart failure. At Stern, we can help define the cause, manage your condition and also provide you with a preventive program to reduce the risk of congestive heart failure. Coronary Artery Disease Coronary artery disease is a disease in which the arteries are clogged with plaque, leading to a reduction in blood flow to the heart, tissue, and muscle fibers. CAD can lead to a heart attack. At Stern, we can create a preventive program for you or manage your coronary artery disease and help you reduce the chances of suffering a heart attack. Heart Disease Heart Disease includes any heart condition that affects your heart’s muscle, valves, rhythm, or surrounding structures of the heart. At Stern, we can provide you with a preventive program in order to reduce your risk of developing heart disease. We are the only group in the area that specializes in an advanced circulatory heart failure program which means that we have the specialty, technology and skill set to manage conditions that are so advanced and are considered for heart transplantation or mechanical pump assist devices. Heart Failure Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. In some cases, the heart can't fill with enough blood. In other cases, the heart can't pump blood to the rest of the body with enough force. Some people have both problems. At Stern, we can help define the cause, manage your condition and also provide you with a preventive program to reduce the risk of heart failure. Hypertension Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a common disease in which blood flows through blood vessels (arteries) at higher than normal pressures. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to multiple short and long-term problems including stroke, heart attack, visual loss, kidney failure, aneurisms, and other diseases of the arteries. It is important to control your blood pressure to avoid these problems. At Stern, we can provide you with a complete assessment of your blood pressure, help you manage your blood pressure, and provide you with a preventive plan to help prevent the development of high blood pressure. Peripheral Artery Disease Peripheral Artery Disease is a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. When the blood flow is substantially reduced, it can lead to damage of the organs that are supplied by these blocked arteries. At Stern, we can provide you with a complete assessment for the prevention of PAD, the presence of PAD and treatment for PAD to help you reduce the risk of damage to organs supplied by diseased arteries. Stroke Stroke occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain is blocked. Without oxygen, brain cells start to die after a few minutes. Sudden bleeding in the brain also can cause a stroke if it damages brain cells. At Stern, we can provide you with a prevention program to reduce your risk of stroke as well as a work-up to determine the cause of your stroke so that we can implement a prevention program in order to reduce your risk of another stroke. Venous Insufficiency In the condition known as venous insufficiency, blood in the leg veins doesn't flow back properly to the heart, causing blood to pull in the veins in the legs and leading to swelling in the legs. Venous insufficiency is only one cause of swelling of the legs. At Stern, we can help determine the cause of swelling in the legs as well as determine if the cause of your swelling may be caused by venous insufficiency. We also have treatments available for managing venous insufficiency. Healthy Lifestyle "Prevention of heart disease, improving ones quality of life and prolonging lifespan is a lifelong endeavor." Dr. Szatkowski Publications A Healthy Heart: A Guide for Everyone Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke and Peripheral Arterial Disease Make a Note on Heart Disease Obesity and Coronary Artery Disease: An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure More Publications Our Diet & Wellness Plan A heart healthy approach to getting fit. 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