"I can’t say enough about the RWJBarnabas Health nursing teams. They work hard, are caring and compassionate and I appreciated them through this entire process."
A very quick and noninvasive Coronary Calcium Scoring test, using a CT scan, detected a calcium build-up in Dan Harten’s coronary arteries. This simple test may have saved his life.
Dan Harten of Manchester visited Community Medical Center’s (CMC) Cardiac Imaging Center in Whiting with a prescription from his physician for a Coronary Calcium Scoring test. He never suspected that the test score would indicate a heavy plaque build-up in his coronary arteries. This, along with a significant family history of heart disease, also a personal history of smoking and diabetes, would lead him to undergo angioplasty at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick.
He discussed the test results with his primary care physician, Dr. Vicente Magsino, an RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group physician, who recommended a closer look into Dan’s heart. Cardiologist Dr. Nihir Shah, and Dr. Ramzan Zakir, Interventional Cardiologist, both with the RWJBarnabas Health Heart and Vascular Institute of Central Jersey, performed an angiogram at RWJUH, inserting three stents to enable oxygen-rich blood to supply his heart.
After some recovery, Dan’s physicians recommended that he start Cardiac Rehabilitation to reduce ongoing risk factors for his heart disease. Dan choose Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus (MMCSC), also an RWJBarnabas Health facility, as its Lakewood location was close to his home.
“I use many of the services at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus and now throughout the RWJBarnabas Health system,” explains Dan. “I can’t say enough about the RWJBarnabas Health nursing teams. They work hard, are caring and compassionate and I appreciated them through this entire process.”
The Cardiac Rehabilitation program at MMCSC is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) and begins with a careful analysis of a patient’s condition and needs, followed by a supervised, progressive exercise regime. It’s combined with a heart healthy lifestyle and medications. Dan completed Phase two at MMCSC with American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certified nurses, Diane Carpino, RN, BSN, who supervised his progress along with Hazelle Dongui-is, RN, BSN, both providing education, counseling and monitoring.
Dan was very pleased with the program and noted, “Not only were my nurses the best, I felt that the program helped me both psychologically and physically. It gave me piece of mind and helped me sleep at night.”
No one plans for heart disease, but RWJBarnabas Health helped Dan make a plan for it. RWJBarnabas Health’s highly coordinated approach to cardiac care ensures patients can focus on improved health and wellness. Learn more about our Heart services.