Sports Cardiology at RWJBarnabas Health

The Sports Cardiology program at RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s most comprehensive, quality-based sports cardiology program. The program provides comprehensive cardiac care to active individuals, but it also educates and empowers our local communities to live healthy, active lives.

Why Should an Athlete See a Sports Cardiologist?

While athletes are often some of the healthiest patients, they remain vulnerable to the risks of developing heart disease. In fact, elite athletic training can place the heart under high levels of stress and present a different set of concerns. In some instances, athletes' hearts may actually grow larger and their heart rates may become slower, mimicking more dangerous conditions.

Undiagnosed cardiac conditions have been known to cause sudden death in young athletes. This rising concern has led New Jersey to requires heart screenings and education as part of a pre-participation physical evaluation for children aged 19 and younger who want to play sports.

To stay healthy, it is important for athletes to have regular cardiac screenings.

Multidisciplinary Sports Health Experts Work Together to Provide Comprehensive Care

The Sports Cardiology program supports multidisciplinary teamwork among adult and pediatric cardiologists, sports medicine specialists, and athletic trainers, and establishes close ties with the community, local schools and professional sports teams.

Instrumental to our program’s success is our passionate, experienced, and integrated multidisciplinary team. From patient screening to treatment, our team of experts are ready to provide you with the highest quality of care. Our team works closely with athletic individuals to meet their unique needs and help them achieve their goals safely and effectively.

We work with athletes of all ages, including: recreational, high school, collegiate, professional, masters and weekend warriors.

Cardiac Screening and Cardiac Condition Management

A major goal of the Sports Cardiology program is to detect and manage cardiac conditions that could predispose an athlete to an exercise-triggered cardiac emergency.

We also comprehensively assess an athlete's cardiac status to help minimize unnecessary disqualifications from competition and delays in return to play.

We will help athletes evaluate different training regimens and consider how they can safely remain a part of their lives even if they do have heart disease.

Our services include:

• Screening/determining sports eligibility
• Evaluation and treatment of symptomatic athletes
• Management of preexisting cardiovascular disease
• Return-to-play considerations

Interested in setting up a screening for your team or school? Learn more about athletic screening services.

Cardiac Conditions Treated

Our program is able to treat a variety of heart conditions including:

• Chest pain, experienced during or after physical exertion
• Heart arrhythmia
• Heart murmurs
• Heart palpitations
• Inherited cardiomyopathies
• Syncope (fainting) or near-syncope during or after physical exertion

Tests and Procedures

A cardiologist will decide the specific tests based on several factors, including the type of heart disease an athlete may have and how severe it is; their age, medical history, and lifestyle. The athlete may need one or more of the following:

• Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG)
  This test measures a heart's electrical activity to identify irregularities (arrhythmias) and show how well a heart is working.
• Echocardiogram (Echo)
  Also known as echocardiography or diagnostic cardiac ultrasound, an echo uses ultrasound waves make images of the heart.
• Stress Echocardiogram
  Also known as a stress echo, or stress test, this is a test that uses ultrasound to assess how a heart performs when stressed with exercise or by taking certain medicines.
• Computed Tomography Angiogram (CTA)
  A CTA is a type of CT scan used to identify blockages in blood vessels. It is a more sophisticated and powerful X-ray that takes a 360-degree image of the heart and heart blood vessels. Contrast dye is used to view the passage of blood through the vessels.

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

  An MRI produces detailed high quality images of the body/heart.

Sports Team Partnerships

RWJBarnabas Health has developed corporate partnerships with an array of sports teams to improve the health and well-being of their athletes. We are the official health care provider for The New Jersey Devils, Rutgers Athletics, Princeton Athletics, The Seton Hall Pirates, The Monmouth University Hawks, and the Somerset Patriots.

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Are Referrals Necessary?

Depending on your insurance, you may need a referral to see a sports cardiologist. This referral usually comes from your primary care doctor.

Make an Appointment with a Sports Cardiologist Near You

Click on a doctor below to learn more about our sports cardiologists in New Jersey and to request an appointment.

Questions? Contact our call center at 888-724-7123.