Heart disease is the leading cause of death of men - and women - in the United States. Although heart disease affects men and women equally, there are differences in how symptoms are presented in women, and how doctors diagnose and treat the disease.
Women generally develop heart disease 10 years later than men - usually after menopause - and often, are not accompanied by predictable complaints. “Women may present with symptoms that are not usually associated with heart attacks. Instead of the oft-mentioned crushing chest pain, women may experience symptoms such as: fatigue, indigestion, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or pain referred to the jaw, arm, or shoulder,” said Joseph E. Parrillo, MD, Director of the Cooper Heart Institute, Head of the Division of Cardiovascular Disease and Critical Care Medicine, and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
The Women’s Heart Program at Cooper focuses on meeting the unique needs of women. “Cooper has seven female cardiologists - more than any other area hospital. We listen, and we take women’s symptoms seriously,” said Cooper Cardiologist Kathleen M. Heintz, DO.
Dr. Heintz and her colleagues help women prevent or slow the progression of heart disease through education, diet, and exercise, as well as medications and other treatments. They are experts in diagnosing heart disease in women, and in managing issues such as diabetes and pregnancy.
Women may attribute symptoms of heart disease to stress, anxiety, or menopause. “It takes a while before most women make it to a doctor,” said Dr. Heintz. “If a woman has persistent symptoms, or if she has risk factors for heart disease, she should see a cardiologist for evaluation.” Risk factors include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and overweight, diabetes, and a family history of heart disease.
Accurate diagnosis of heart disease in women can be difficult due to differences in body structure between men and women, and differences in the type of heart disease they tend to get. For example, traditional treadmill stress tests may produce less accurate results in women. “We treat the patient, not the test,” said Cooper Cardiologist Prasanna Sugathan, MD. “If someone has the typical symptoms of heart disease and risk factors, we take it seriously and treat her with prevention in mind.”
Women with diabetes are at higher risk for heart disease than men. Dr. Sugathan recommends that any woman with diabetes be tested for heart disease.
Cooper cardiologists also care for women with heart disease who are or plan to become pregnant, and pregnant women who develop heart disease during pregnancy. “We try to plan ahead so that the mom and her baby don’t have problems,” said Cooper Cardiologist Maritza Cotto, MD. “We counsel and closely monitor these women.”
Steps to protect the baby include prescribing medications that are better for the baby, using safer testing techniques and, in some cases, recommending a cesarean section rather than labor to avoid added stress on the heart.
In addition to Drs. Heintz, Sugathan, and Cotto, Neeta Datwani, MD, Annie Peter, MD, and Leslie Squires, MD, are female cardiologists on staff at Cooper. Cooper’s male cardiologists also care for female patients. Cardiologists consult with patients at multiple convenient locations throughout South Jersey. The program includes referral to risk modification services such as stress management, smoking cessation, nutrition, and exercise.
For more information about The Women’s Heart Program at Cooper or to schedule an appointment with a Cooper physician, call 1-800-8-COOPER. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to answer questions about available medical services, physicians, and community health programs.