Wayne Magazine Fall 2015 | Page 53

Advanced Cardiology Practice 246 Hamburg Turnpike, Suite 201 Wayne (973) 942-1141 www.advancedcardiologypractice.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Dr. Sameer Azhak measures professional success by how many medications he doesn’t have to prescribe to patients and how many heart stents he doesn’t have to place. What makes him unique among cardiologists is his focus on the prevention of heart disease, particularly the role of nutrition in its development. Dr. Azhak says, “Rather than focus on symptoms and diseases, I focus on restoring and optimizing health.” He holds a special interest in complex lipid disorders, metabolic syndrome and preventive cardiology. His commitment to this focus is personal. The cardiologist successfully treated his own high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea through weight loss. In medical school, Dr. Azhak realized there was a lack of training in nutrition. He has made it his mission to help patients to reduce the need for medication, the need to increase the dosage of medication or to have to rely on any to control ballooning blood pressure and cholesterol. He achieves this by building one-on-one relationships with patients to guide them to control cardiovascular risk factors. “I inspire patients to make changes,” he says. Dr. Azhak intuitively and accurately assesses each patient to devise an appropriate treatment plan. He takes the time to know each patient, educates them about their diagnosis and treatment and makes sure they understand the cardiovascular terminology used. Dr. Azhak individualizes treatment plans and chooses what works best for each patient based on lifestyle, culture and personality. “Each person is different. A lot depends on their readiness to make necessary changes,” he states. In addition to Dr. Azhak, there are seven cardiologists affiliated with Advanced Cardiology Practice. The practice maintains six offices in Wayne and surrounding towns. They diagnose and treat a full range of diseases of the heart including angina, arrhythmias, high cholesterol, heart attack, heart failure, stroke and varicose and spider veins. Collaboration and consultation among the cardiologists in the practice means that patients receive detailed advice about the nuances of their particular condition. Many diagnostic tests are done in-office. Invasive procedures, such as catherizations or angioplasties, are performed in a hospital. The doctors have privileges at the area’s best hospitals including St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, Morristown Medical Center, Chilton Medical Center and St Joseph's Wayne Hospital. Dr. Azhak earned his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in St. George, Grenada, West Indies. His internship and residency in Internal Medicine were completed at Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark. He completed a fellowship in Invasive and Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Disease at the Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Education. Dr. Azhak is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and Nuclear Cardiology by the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology. FALL 2015 WAYNE MAGAZINE 51 TOP DOCTORS SAMEER AZHAK, M.D.