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Heart disease is the #1 killer of women and Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania is using her own recent health scare to remind everyone why paying attention to your body matters. At just 54 years old, Dolores underwent heart surgery after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib), a serious heart condition that can increase the risk of stroke or heart attack.
In a deeply personal Instagram post, Dolores shared the moment she knew something was wrong:
“About six months ago, I was driving when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest that radiated down my arm. As women, we tend to ignore aches and pains, brushing them off as part of everyday life — but this felt different.”
The symptoms didn’t stop there. She continued, “After that, I started experiencing frequent flutters in my chest, sometimes waking me up at night. Eventually, I got scared enough to call my cardiologist. He gave me a heart monitor to wear, and within hours, he called to tell me I had AFib (atrial fibrillation). He referred me to an electrophysiologist, who confirmed the diagnosis.”
Dolores revealed the emotional moment when her doctor told her, “‘You’re not the same girl I met two years ago when you came here with Paul.’ Some of you may remember that my boyfriend, Paul Connell, was diagnosed with WPW (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome) and also needed an ablation.”
With her surgery behind her, Dolores shared a hopeful update: “I’m now 6 weeks out and back to myself! I’ll be off all medication soon, and I haven’t had any episodes since the procedure.”
But the reality star’s message goes beyond her personal journey — it’s a powerful call to action for women everywhere:
“I’m sharing this because I want you to listen to your body. That racing or fluttering in your chest you feel doing simple tasks during the day — that’s your body trying to tell you something. DON’T IGNORE THIS. AFib increases your risk of stroke or heart attack.”
Ending with an encouraging note, Dolores urged her followers, “Please don’t wait. Your heart health is not something to take lightly. If you need recommendations for doctors, I was truly in the best of hands. Take care of yourself — you deserve it!! ??”