Advanced Heart & Vascular

10/20/2026

❤️ Menopause and Your Heart: What Women Should Know
Hot flashes and sleep changes may get most of the attention during menopause, but there’s another part of the transition women shouldn’t overlook:

Heart health.

Menopause itself does not cause cardiovascular disease. However, changes that commonly occur during the menopause transition can affect cardiovascular risk. LDL — the “bad” cholesterol — often rises, blood vessels may become stiffer, and changes in body composition, sleep, blood pressure, and blood sugar can all become more important during midlife. American Heart Association

That makes this a particularly good time to know your numbers:

❤️ Blood pressure
❤️ Cholesterol
❤️ Blood sugar
❤️ Kidney health

The American Heart Association also notes that women are at greater risk for heart disease and stroke after menopause, making prevention during the years leading up to and following menopause especially important. American Heart Association

Regular physical activity, heart-healthy eating, good sleep, stress management, and keeping up with routine medical care all matter.

And if you’ve always had “good numbers,” don’t assume they’ll stay that way forever. Midlife is an excellent time to check in with your healthcare provider and reassess your cardiovascular risk.

Menopause is a normal stage of life. It’s also an opportunity to pay a little more attention to your heart. ❤️



Read the new American Heart Association article: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/what-doctors-want-women-to-know-about-menopause-and-heart-health?utm_source=chatgpt.com

10/16/2026

❤️ Think You Need 10,000 Steps a Day? Your Heart Has Some Good News.
For years, 10,000 steps a day has been treated like the magic number for good health. But new guidance from the American College of Cardiology offers a much more achievable message: For many adults, about 5,000–7,000 steps a day may provide meaningful cardiovascular benefits.

Read the new American College of Cardiology guidance: https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2026/10/15/16/10/Exercise-Should-Be-Prescribed?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Research has consistently found that heart-health benefits begin well below 10,000 steps. In fact, an analysis highlighted by the ACC found that compared with about 2,000 steps a day, reaching 7,000 steps was associated with a 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 47% lower risk of cardiovascular death. American College of Cardiology
That doesn’t mean everyone needs to suddenly hit 7,000 tomorrow.

❤️ If you’re currently walking 3,000 steps, work toward 4,000.
❤️ Take a 10-minute walk after dinner.
❤️ Park a little farther away.
❤️ Take the stairs when you can.
❤️ Get up and move during the day instead of sitting for long stretches.

The ACC’s message is refreshingly simple: Some activity is better than none.

And for people who are currently inactive, even relatively small increases in movement can produce meaningful benefits. Walking a little faster when you’re able may provide additional benefit, too. The goal isn’t a perfect number on your watch.
The goal is to move more than you do now — and keep doing it.

If you have heart disease, significant mobility limitations, chest discomfort, unusual shortness of breath, or other concerns about exercise, talk with your healthcare provider about a safe activity goal for you.

10/14/2026

❤️ You Don’t Have to Lose 30 Pounds to Help Your Heart

Think improving your heart health requires a dramatic weight-loss transformation? New guidance highlighted by the American Heart Association offers some encouraging news.

Even relatively modest weight loss — about 3% to 5% of your starting weight — can lead to measurable improvements in important health markers such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. So it's not about the end result, it truly is about the journey. Because your body improves every step of the way.

For someone who weighs 200 pounds, losing roughly 6–10 pounds may already make a meaningful difference. And there’s another important point: the number on the scale isn’t the only measure of success.

Regular walking, strength training, swimming, stretching, and other physical activity can improve cardiovascular and metabolic health even if your weight doesn’t change dramatically. Better sleep, managing stress, and making sustainable food choices matter, too.

❤️ The goal isn’t perfection.

Start with something you can actually maintain:
• Take a short walk after dinner
• Replace one highly processed snack with something more nutritious
• Work toward a consistent sleep schedule
• Add a few minutes of movement to your day
• Talk with your healthcare provider about realistic goals for your individual health. Because we are an independent practice, we take the time you need to set your individual goals. Let us help you find a healthy way of improving.

Heart health is built through what you do consistently, not through one perfect week. Small changes really can add up to meaningful results.

Losing weight, even in modest amounts, can support cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) health by benefiting the heart, kidneys, blood pressure and blood glucose (sugar).

10/12/2026

❤️ As PA Week comes to a close, we’re celebrating the important role PAs play in protecting heart health.

From monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol to helping manage medications, recognizing symptoms, reviewing test results, and supporting healthy lifestyle changes, PAs are an essential part of cardiovascular care.

Heart health is a team effort — and PAs help make that team stronger every day.

Thank you to PAs everywhere for the knowledge, compassion, and dedication you bring to your patients. ❤️

10/09/2026

❤️ IT’S PA WEEK — AND WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL PA TO CELEBRATE

When you think about great medical care, you may first think about the doctor. But behind so many successful healthcare practices are PAs — highly trained medical professionals who play an essential role in patient care every day.

This week, Oct. 6-12, is PA Week, and we’re especially proud to recognize our own Erin Farrugia, PA, here at Advanced Heart and Vascular of Central Jersey.

PAs do far more than many people realize. They examine and diagnose patients, order and interpret test results, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications, provide preventive care, and work closely with physicians to ensure patients receive the care they need. AAPA

But the best PAs bring something else to medicine, too.
They listen.
They explain.
They answer the question you forgot to ask the doctor.
They notice when something doesn’t seem quite right.
And they help patients navigate what can sometimes be a confusing or frightening healthcare experience.

That’s what makes Erin so important to our practice. Her knowledge, compassion, attention to detail, and commitment to our patients make her an invaluable part of the Advanced Heart and Vascular team. She works alongside Dr. Farrugia to make sure our patients feel cared for, informed, and heard — not simply treated.

Healthcare is at its best when it’s a team effort, and we couldn’t ask for a better person to be part of ours.

❤️ Happy PA Week, Erin — and thank you for everything you do for our patients and our practice.

10/07/2026

Happy National PA Week, Erin!
Wishing our wonderful PA, Erin Farrugia, a very happy National PA Week! 💙

Thank you for the compassion, dedication, expertise, and care you bring to your patients every day. Your hard work and commitment make such a meaningful difference, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do.

We hope you feel celebrated and appreciated this week—you truly deserve it!

Happy National PA Week, Erin! 🎉🩺💙

10/05/2026

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month

Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest: They Are NOT the Same Thing.

A heart attack is primarily a circulation problem caused by blocked blood flow to the heart. Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical problem in which the heart suddenly stops beating effectively.

The American Heart Association notes that about 9 in 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital die, and immediate CPR can double or triple the chance of survival. You can find a CPR class through the Red Cross and even learn online: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/cpr-training/cpr-classes

10/02/2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Early-stage breast cancer—when it hasn’t spread beyond the breast—has a 5-year relative survival rate of over 99%, highlighting the importance of early detection. Know the facts. Mammograms save lives.

09/30/2026

It's the last day of September, and that means the last day of PAD Awareness Month and AFib Awareness Month. However, it shouldn't be the end of you paying attention to the risks, the signs, and the best way forward if PAD or AFib are a part of your life. As ever, we are always here to support you in your journey.

09/29/2026

❤️ SEPT. 29 IS WORLD HEART DAY ❤️
Today is a reminder to pay attention to the one organ that works for you every second of every day: your heart.
This year’s World Heart Day message is “Don’t Miss a Beat,” encouraging people to recognize that heart disease can sometimes hide in plain sight. Many people don’t realize there may be a problem until symptoms appear — and sometimes those symptoms are subtle.
World Heart Day is also a good reminder that heart health is not built through one perfect decision. It’s built through small choices made over time.
That can mean:
❤️ Taking a walk
❤️ Managing blood pressure and cholesterol
❤️ Choosing more heart-healthy meals
❤️ Not ignoring symptoms like chest discomfort, shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, or palpitations
❤️ Keeping up with regular medical care
The World Heart Federation also emphasizes an important truth: most heart disease is preventable, and many cardiovascular deaths are linked to risk factors that can be prevented or managed.
Your heart does a lot for you. World Heart Day is a good time to ask:
What am I doing to take care of it?
Small steps matter. Awareness matters. Prevention matters.
Don’t miss a beat. ❤️