Women's Cardiology Program

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease remains the #1 killer of women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 44% of women in the U.S. live with some form of heart disease, yet many women delay seeking care for heart symptoms until they've worsened or start to affect their daily lives.  

The National Jewish Health Women's Cardiology Program is tailored to meet the unique heart health needs of women. The goals of the program are to help women prevent heart disease, identify their risk of developing heart disease, provide early detection and heart disease treatment. 

We hope this program will encourage women to take time to protect their health.

Heart Disease Risk Factors for Women

• Family history of heart disease
• Symptoms of heart disease 
• Over age 55
• History of smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Lack of physical activity
• Menopause stages
• Oophorectomy (one or both ovaries removed)
• History of heart disease symptoms during pregnancy or in postpartum 
• History of pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension
• Heart disease related to breast cancer
• Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Long COVID syndrome
• Dysautonomia
• Stroke
• Venous thromboembolism

Heart Disease Signs and Symptoms in Women

Signs of a heart attack are not always clear cut. Heart attach signs and symptoms can seem similar to other conditions. If you have any of the following symptoms, don't assume they are simply related to aging, the flu or acid reflux. Protect your heart and life by having your heart evaluated.

• Feeling of squeezing or tightness in the upper back
• Discomfort  or pain in the neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or upper belly (abdomen)  
• Lightheadedness, dizziness or fainting
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort, that's not related to exercise
• Pain in one or both arms
• Nausea or vomiting
• Cold sweat
• Unusual fatigue
• Heartburn (indigestion)

If any of those symptoms lasts for more than a few minutes, call 911 and get to an emergency department immediately.

Women's Cardiology at National Jewish Health

• Comprehensive risk assessment
• Individualized care
• Prevention and lifestyle counseling
• Patient education
• General cardiology care
• State-of-the-art treatment and management
• Managing co-existing conditions
• Cardiac rehab
• Full range of diagnostics and treatments
• For women who prefer to see female physicians, our program has eight female cardiologists/cardiology advance practice providers 

Heart Disease Risk Factors for Women

• Family history of heart disease
• Symptoms of heart disease 
• Over age 55
• Postmenopausal
• Oophorectomy (one or both ovaries removed)
• History of heart disease symptoms during pregnancy or in postpartum 
• History of pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension
• History of smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Lack of physical activity
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)