Team members at U.Va.’s new Women’s Heart Program include, from left, nutritionist Teller Swett, exercise physiologist Melynda Zarzyski, Dr. Robert Gibson, family nurse practitioner Anne Hedelt and Dr. Dearing Johns.

September 13, 2004 -- The facts about heart disease are startling. Heart disease is by far a woman’s biggest health threat—more so than all cancers combined. Women account for nearly half of all heart attack deaths. If you are a woman with extra weight around your waist, it is potentially more dangerous to your heart and blood vessels than a man’s expanding waistline.

Beat the Odds

There is good news: You can beat the odds. With lifestyle changes, heart disease can be prevented or slowed down so it doesn’t become life threatening. Eating a hearthealthy diet, not smoking, getting regular exercise and taking medications to control high blood pressure and cholesterol levels can work wonders for your heart and blood vessel health.

Of course, anyone who has tried to overcome unhealthy, lifelong habits knows it’s easier said than done. It is why the UVa Health System has created a Women’s Heart Program designed to give women the knowledge, tools and extensive support to reach and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

UVa Women’s Heart Program If you’ve had a heart attack or are at high to moderate risk of having one in the next 10 years—your doctor can help determine your risk with simple blood and lipid tests—you are encouraged to take advantage of the program. Based at UVa’s Northridge Health Center, the program gives women convenient access to a team of health care professionals, including cardiologists, specialized cardiovascular nurse practitioners and nurses, nutritionists and exercise physiologists. Women enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to spend as long as two hours getting a thorough evaluation and meeting with team members, who work together to tailor fitness and nutrition programs that fit each patient’s life. Patients are welcome to come back each month for regular checkups and counseling over a year or two, depending on how much support they need. Be sure to check with your insurer to learn whether these visits are covered. Each patient’s whole family is encouraged to take part in education sessions so they can make healthy changes together.

Different from Men

“Women experience heart disease in a fundamentally different way than men do. Their physiology is not the same, the symptoms of heart diseas and signs of an impending heart attack differ for women, and once heart or blood vessel disease has been recognized, women often do not get the treatments and medications they require,” said Robert Gibson, M.D., a cardiologist and member of the UVa Women’s Heart Program team. Dearing Johns, M.D., cardiologist and team member, said, “This program is really important because it brings together several health experts who can address the many aspects that play a part in heart disease—underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, what medications work best in women, what s a woman should eat and even how many steps she should walk each day to keep her healthy.”

Don’t Ignore Your Health

“All too often women ignore their own health while caring for others,” Dr. Johns added. “This program gives women the opportunity to establish long-term, trusting relationships with health care professionals. Hopefully, each woman will take away from our program an understanding of how important it is to care for herself so she’ll be there for everyone else.

Are You at Risk for Heart Disease?

Everyone should have a risk assessment for heart disease at least once after age 20.

You can benefit from a consultation with UVa’s women’s heart experts if you are:

• a woman with known or suspected heart disease

• a peri-menopausal or post-menopausal woman who wants to weigh the risks and
benefits of hormone therapy

• an adult woman who is overweight—especially “apple” shaped—is physically inactive, smokes, has diabetes or has a family history of early heart disease. We can help determine if you have other risk factors, including high blood pressure, low levels of good cholesterol (HDL), high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and high levels of stored fat or triglycerides.

To schedule a risk assessment with UVa’s Women’s Heart Program, call (434) 243-4707.