Women's Heart Program

Taking Women’s Cardiac Care to Heart

Heart disease is the number #1 killer of both men and women.  However, there are important differences in how heart disease presents in women — and how it is diagnosed and treated.  

At the Cooper Heart Institute, the world-class cardiologists are dedicated to the unique needs of women. With one of the largest groups of female cardiologists in the Delaware Valley, the physicians of the Cooper Women’s Heart Program are extraordinarily attuned to the physical and emotional needs of their patients – developing individualized, patient-family centered plans to achieve cardiac health.

Access to the Latest Options, Diagnosis and Treatment

Women have unique differences that may require special testing and treatments to provide the most effective cardiovascular care.

The Cooper Heart Institute is designed to provide for the cardiovascular needs of female patients with programs and services that include:

• Comprehensive Cardiovascular Risk Assessment: including in-depth history, risk evaluation survey and physical examination
• Advanced Diagnostic Testing: including complex cholesterol/lipid disorder screening testing, echocardiography and nuclear imaging, and screening for diabetes and peripheral vascular disease
• State-of-the-Art Treatment
  • Advanced cholesterol management program
  • Non-surgical heart and vascular treatments including angioplasty and stent placement
  • Cardiac arrhythmia management including medications, ablation, therapy and device implantation
  • Advanced heart failure programo Cardiac surgery 

A Multi-disciplinary, Heart Healthy Approach to Prevention and Education

Achieving and maintaining a healthy heart requires a multi-disciplinary team approach to identifying and managing cardiac risk factors that follows the guidelines of the American Heart Institute and the American College of Cardiology.

At the Cooper Heart Institute patients of the Women’s Heart Program have access to a multi-disciplinary network of team members including:

• Physicians
• Physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses
• Exercise Specialists• Nutritionists and dieticians
• Psychologists for stress management and smoking cessation

Access to Leading-Edge Clinical Research

As part of an academic medical center, the faculty of the Cooper Women’s Heart Program participates in many clinical trials and has access to the latest clinical trials information in areas ranging from cholesterol disorders to arrhythmia management to heart failure.

Specialized Programs Available for Complex Cardiovascular Needs

• Cardiac and vascular management of the female diabetic patient
• Cardiac assessment and monitoring of the female patient undergoing chemotherapy
• Cardiac assessment of monitoring of the high-risk pregnancy patient
• Risk stratification and risk factor modification of the post-menopausal, metabolic syndrome patients
• Cardiac assessment and monitoring in obesity management, as well as the female patient undergoing bariatric surgery  

A Women’s Heart Care Program That Goes Beyond The Doctor’s Office

• Designated Cooper cardiologists with a special interest in unique needs of women and heart disease.  
• Cooper Heart Institute Women’s Heart Health Assessment: Comprehensive evaluation of heart disease risk reviewed with cardiologists with a special interest in unique needs of women.  Individualized Treatment Plan developed for each patient’s unique heart care needs
• Cooper Heart Institute Women’s Health Resource Guide: patient materials and educational resources geared toward unique features of heart disease in women.
• Access to a network of services including psychologist for stress management and/or smoking cessation, an exercise specialists, and dietician/nutritionists, through the multi-disciplinary team approach to heart wellness.
• Community education series in South Jersey available throughout the year

The Cooper Heart Institute is one of the most comprehensive cardiovascular programs in the Delaware Valley region.  At Cooper, cardiac patients have access to a world-renowned team of cardiovascular experts, the most advanced technology and the best care options. Cooper offers the full spectrum of heart care from prevention and diagnosis to the most innovative medical, non-surgical techniques and surgical treatments.  In addition, the Cooper Heart Institute’s participation in cutting edge clinical research provides patients access to the latest in advanced treatment.