‘RHONJ’ Star Dolores Catania Reveals Heart Scare That Led to Surgery”

Dolores Catania, a longtime cast member of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” is speaking out about a frightening health scare that led to heart surgery. The 54-year-old reality star revealed she was recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that causes an irregular heartbeat, and underwent a cardiac ablation procedure to treat it.

In a video posted to Instagram, Catania documented her journey to the hospital with her boyfriend, Paul Connell. “We are going to get my procedure done. It’s a cardiac ablation for my AFib. I know, I’m too young to have this,” she said with a hint of humor. As they walked inside, Connell asked her if she had any last words. Smiling, she replied, “Love you.”

Sharing Her Story to Raise Awareness

Catania posted additional footage from her hospital stay, including a post-surgery photo with her electrophysiologist, whom she jokingly called her “other electrician.” In the caption, she opened up about the onset of symptoms and the importance of taking warning signs seriously.

“About six months ago, I was driving when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest that radiated down my arm,” she wrote. “As women, we tend to ignore aches and pains, brushing them off as part of everyday life—but this felt different.”

As time went on, Catania began experiencing heart palpitations that even disrupted her sleep. “Eventually, I got scared enough to call my cardiologist,” she shared. “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.”

Catania recalled the doctor telling her, “You’re not the same girl I met two years ago when you came here with Paul.” Fans of the show may remember Connell’s own heart condition—Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome—which also required ablation surgery.

“I’m sharing this because I want you to listen to your body,” Catania urged. “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.”

Now six weeks post-operation, she says she’s feeling more like herself. “I’ll be off all medication soon, and I haven’t had any episodes since the procedure,” she wrote.

She concluded her post with a note of encouragement to her fans: “Don’t wait. Your heart health is not something to take lightly. I was truly in the best of hands. Take care of yourself—you deserve it!!”