That first blast of winter air might feel invigorating, but your cardiovascular system is working harder than you realize. Within seconds of stepping into freezing temperatures, your blood vessels constrict to preserve body heat, raising your blood pressure and increasing the workload on your heart.
Author Archives: Andrew Rote
Small Changes That Make a Big Impact on Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, often develops without warning signs, but its effects on the heart, brain and kidneys can be serious over time. The good news is that even small, consistent lifestyle changes can lead to meaningful improvements.
Your Heart in Your 40s, 50s and Beyond: What Changes and What to Watch
Your 40s, 50s, and beyond are pivotal times to understand how your heart is changing. Stay current with screenings and take advantage of expert care to help prevent future problems.
Understanding Heart Disease in Women
Symptoms of heart disease look different in women than men, often resulting in overlooked risk factors and missed diagnoses. Understanding how heart disease affects women specifically, and knowing when and where to seek care, can be lifesaving.
Winter Slips and Falls: Staying Safe on Ice and Snow
As winter conditions take hold across the Hudson Valley, icy sidewalks, slick driveways, and hidden black ice become more frequent.
A Musician’s Second Beat
John Berenzy experienced a life-altering cardiac event in August 2025 after returning home from New Orleans following the birth of his grandson, Sebastian. Mistaking severe chest pain for heartburn, John sought help from a neighbor, collapsing at their door. Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene. They administered nitroglycerin and treated a complete blockage inContinue reading “A Musician’s Second Beat”
A Heart Reimagined
Four years ago, Jennifer Dering was at the peak of her strength, a professional athlete, engineer, wife, and mother, training for a racquetball tournament when she suddenly began struggling to breathe. Over the course of 14 medical visits, she was misdiagnosed repeatedly. Doctors told her it was hormones, asthma, even “vocal cord dysfunction.” But JenniferContinue reading “A Heart Reimagined”
A Firefighter’s Second Chance
When Assistant Fire Chief John Lucariello of the Rombout Fire Company collapsed while responding to an early morning fire in Fishkill, NY, his fellow firefighters and paramedics rushed to his side. Despite repeated attempts to restart his heart, John was pronounced dead at the scene. Then, just minutes later, something extraordinary happened: his heart beganContinue reading “A Firefighter’s Second Chance”
We Change Lives, Like Mackenzie’s
What began as a simple antibiotic for three-year-old Mackenzie’s ear infection spiraled into toxic epidermal necrolysis, a life-threatening condition.Mackenzie spent four months at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, including two of them in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The care team surrounded her with more than medicine; music and art therapists helped bring moments of joyContinue reading “We Change Lives, Like Mackenzie’s”
We Change Lives, Like Camryn’s
For most kids, birthdays mean balloons, cake, and a bouncy house. For Camryn, celebrating her birthday meant something even bigger—a stem cell transplant to cure her Sickle Cell Disease.At Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, we bring together advanced technology, innovative techniques, and a team of dedicated specialists to deliver life-changing care. Thanks to that care, CamrynContinue reading “We Change Lives, Like Camryn’s”