Understanding Heart Disease in Women
At Piedmont Heart, we take women’s heart health seriously – after all, 90% of women have at least one risk factor for heart disease. Women have unique factors that contribute to and affect their heart health. Pregnancy, menopause and the day-to-day juggling of work and family can all take a toll on your heart, especially if you have experienced conditions such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. Many other health conditions such as lupus or other inflammatory diseases or anxiety and depression, which generally affect more women than men, significantly affect your risk of heart disease. We specialize in how heart disease affects women and our team is here to help – one woman at a time.
Patient Story: Like Sheila, many women don't recognize the signs of a heart attack.
Keeping Women Healthier One Step at a Time
Our team helps women manage their heart health by teaching the small steps that lead to wellness. Your numbers or the factors that contributed to heart issues didn’t happen overnight, but we’re going to help you improve your heart health, finding that inner strength to succeed, one step at a time. Not only do we help our patients improve their heart health, we’ll show women how small steps toward wellness can affect the health of the entire family. Small changes can make a significant difference for years, and generations, to come.
We take care of the whole person, not just your heart. If you had any type of heart event or problem, care doesn’t stop when you are treated at Piedmont Healthcare and discharged. Our team of women-focused heart specialists help educate women to understand their numbers – like cholesterol and blood pressure – and learn the importance of maintaining good habits throughout life, by making small changes that can have a big impact on heart health, including:
- Stop smoking
- Reduce sugar intake
- Get to a healthy weight and maintain with healthy eating habits
- Increase physical activity and stay active
- Limit alcohol consumption
A Team of Specialized Support
An entire team is dedicated to your heart care, including board-certified cardiologists, cardiac certified nurses, certified health and wellness coach, registered dieticians and cardiac rehabilitation specialists. We take care of your day-to-day health, including educating women about knowing the numbers that affect heart health such as cholesterol and blood pressure. We also help you understand how to manage heart disease issues, recovery after a heart event or surgery and how to live life to the fullest with your specific diagnosis. At every level of care, even if a heart transplant is necessary, our team is here to help you every step of the way to long term heart health. We’ve even answered some of the most common questions that women want to know about their heart health.
Dottie Fuqua Women’s Heart Support Network
We’re working hard to help women understand that a proactive approach to their health, especially their heart health, is within their control. That’s why we’re bringing women together by building a support network so women can talk to others who are going through a similar situation. Together, we’ll help women better understand how simple lifestyle changes can significantly affect their heart health – how a heart healthy diet and regular physical activity can improve your quality of life. Due to the generosity of Dottie Fuqua, this new support program is in the process of expanding and will soon be available at no cost to any woman who gets her care through Piedmont Heart Institute. Talk to your Piedmont cardiologist about the availability of these services.
For More Information about Heart Care Focused on Women
If you or a loved one has concerns about your heart health – or simply wants to take a proactive approach to your health, please reach out to one of our women’s heart specialists at 404-605-2800. We have an entire team focused on your care, with convenient locations across Atlanta and the surrounding areas.