This post was authored by Annabelle Santos Volgman, MD, FACC, member of the ACC Women in Cardiology member section.

There have been more women than men dying from cardiovascular disease since 1984, yet, until recently, it was still thought of as a man’s disease. In 2000, the gap increased to about 70,000 more women than men! At this time, a concerted effort began in cardiology to narrow this gap. Heart centers for women began to open their doors around the country to take care of women with or at risk for heart disease.

Today at noon, the ACC Women in Cardiology (WIC) member section will host the panel discussion, "How to Start a Heart Center for Women." Come to the WIC Lounge in the Lounge and Learn Pavilion and learn about the different ways to start a heart center for women in your medical center or community. If you are thinking of starting one or are interested in hearing more about heart centers for women, this will give you invaluable insight into how successful they can be.

Nanette Wenger, MD, will moderate a stellar panel of female cardiologists from all over the country who have worked to decrease cardiac disease deaths among female patients. Heart disease and its treatment can be very different in women. Many successful centers have done studies, investigating how to manage these patients. Today’s panelists will share valuable lessons learned and their experiences as influential leaders in this area.

We will hear from Noel Bairey Merz, MD, from Cedars Sinai, who has been supported by Barbra Streisand to continue studying microvascular disease in women. After starting one of the first heart centers for women, Gina Lundberg, MD, was asked by Emory University to replicate a community program she started in Atlanta in 1998. Martha Gulati, MD has been involved in several heart centers for women and has studied the role of exercise in heart disease in women. Lynne Braun, PhD, a nurse practitioner in the Rush Heart Center for Women, will discuss the role of nurse practitioners and other health care providers. We will also hear from Sharonne Hayes, MD, Jennifer Mieres, MD and Nieca Goldberg, MD on their roles in establishing treatment centers for women with heart disease.

I look forward to each of these panelists sharing her experience and insight on this very important topic. To learn more about the ACC Women In Cardiology Member Section, visit ACC.org/WIC.

< Back to Listings