Cardiology Insights
Notes on heart health, cardiology research, and practice updates from Dr. Jonathan Vafai.
The Minimum Dose of Exercise That Actually Protects Your Heart
The new ACC statement on prescribing exercise, in plain terms: about 22 minutes a day, why something beats nothing, steps, strength, and weight.
Soft Plaque vs. Calcium: What a Coronary CTA Sees That a Calcium Score Can't
A calcium score of zero means no hardened plaque, not no plaque. What a coronary CT angiogram (CTA) sees that a calcium score can't, and who it's for.
Spotting the Hidden Signs of Cardiac Amyloidosis (ATTR-CM)
Carpal tunnel in both wrists, a torn biceps, blood pressure that drifts down: a cardiologist explains the early clues to cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM).
Lifestyle Changes That Can Calm AFib
Losing weight, cutting back on alcohol, exercising and quitting smoking can mean fewer AFib episodes. Here's what the evidence shows.
Do I Need a Stress Test? Why I Don't Order Them for Patients Without Symptoms
Feel fine but wondering about a yearly treadmill test? Why I don't order stress tests for patients without symptoms, and when one is exactly the right call.
Can Targeted Chemotherapy Affect Your Heart? What Breast Cancer Patients Should Know
If you're starting a targeted chemotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) such as Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) or Kadcyla (T-DM1) for HER2-positive breast cancer,…
A Cardiologist's Guide to Power Zone Training on the Bike
Heart rate lies to you a little. It spikes with stress, a bad night's sleep, or an afternoon coffee, and if you're on a beta-blocker for blood pressure or a heart rhythm…
The Hidden Link Between Sleep Apnea and Stubborn Blood Pressure
When patients come to see me for stubbornly high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms, one of the first questions I ask is how they sleep at night. Many people…
New 2026 Guidelines: What Your ApoB and Lp(a) Numbers Actually Tell You
The 2026 dyslipidemia guidelines made news this year for a major first: recommending that every adult get a one-time blood test for lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a)—pronounced…
Non-invasive treatment for Parkinson's disease studied at Delray Medical Center
Delray Medical Center has been in the local news for offering a treatment that sounds almost too good to be true: a way to quiet the worst movement symptoms of…
Does Your Drink of Choice Affect Your Heart? A Major New Study Weighs In
When patients ask me if they should switch to wine for their heart, here's what a new study actually found. It was presented earlier this year at the American College of…
Even Light Activity May Lower Stroke and Death Risk in Atrial Fibrillation
A new study out of Norway offers some reassurance for the roughly 6 million Americans living with atrial fibrillation, or AFib, an irregular and often rapid heartbeat…
Lipfendra: A New Once-Daily Pill for Stubborn Cholesterol
The FDA just approved a cholesterol drug I've been watching for years: Lipfendra, the first pill version of a PCSK9 inhibitor. PCSK9 inhibitors are a class of medication…
We Are Hiring: A Non-Invasive Cardiologist for Our Delray Beach Practice
My practice, South Florida Heart Institute, part of the Palm Beach Health Network, is looking for a non-invasive cardiologist to join our team here in Delray Beach. Non-…
Why Movement Matters More Than the Scale
If you've ever started exercising hoping to see a big number drop on the bathroom scale, only to feel discouraged when it barely budges, you're not alone—and you're not…
Welcoming Dr. Melissa Levack: A Warm Reception at the Rotary Club of South Florida
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Melissa Levack, a cardiothoracic surgeon and new colleague at our practice. Dr. Levack recently spoke to the Rotary Club of South Florida, sharing her perspective…
Building Daily Habits for Long-Term Wellness
Protecting your heart doesn't require drastic lifestyle overhauls overnight; small, consistent changes often yield the best long-term results. Getting up and moving…
The Expanding Toolbox in Modern Cardiovascular Care
Cardiology is undergoing an exciting transformation with new tools that make protecting your heart easier and more precise than ever. Beyond traditional medications,…
2026 Cholesterol Guidelines: What Patients Need to Know
Managing cholesterol is one of the most powerful strategies to protect your heart and reduce long-term cardiovascular risk. Updated cholesterol management guidelines…
Managing High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is often referred to as a 'silent killer' because it can quietly damage your blood vessels for years without causing noticeable warning signs.…
Beating Summer Heat & Hydration Strain
Staying properly hydrated during hot summer weather is one of the simplest yet most vital steps you can take to protect your cardiovascular system. When you get…
Statin Therapy and Liver Reassurance
Statins remain the cornerstone of cholesterol management and heart attack prevention, yet concerns about liver safety often worry patients. Extensive medical research…
Safeguarding Women's Heart Health
Heart disease remains the single leading cause of health complications for women, yet many risk factors develop quietly without obvious symptoms. Conditions like high…
Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Wellness
Your heart, kidneys, and metabolic system work together as an interconnected team to keep your body healthy. When one system experiences stress—such as carrying excess…
Managing Hidden Sodium in Your Diet
Excess sodium is one of the leading contributors to high blood pressure, yet much of the salt we consume comes from unexpected processed or restaurant foods. Even…
A Historic Day in Medicine: VERVE-102 Data for Cholesterol
A historic day in medicine — today my brother Scott presented data to the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) on VERVE-102, a base-editing therapy targeting PCSK9 to…
New Technology for Structural Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery at Delray
We're excited to have the latest technology now available for our team and our patients at Delray Medical Center. We're the first hospital in Florida — and among the…
Delray Medical Center Named a Castle Connolly Top Hospital
Excited to share that Delray Medical Center has been named a Castle Connolly Top Hospital — a recognition that reflects the quality of care our entire team works hard to…