Cardiologist: Why See Someone Who Specializes In Women's Hearts? - Dr. Smolens

Dr. Smolens:

I think women absolutely need to be evaluated by physicians that are used to, and attuned to women’s heart health issues. Up until fairly recently, many people felt that heart disease was the same as in men as women. I think recently, a lot of attention has been given to women’s heart disease and women’s heart health. We are attuned to the differences, but not everybody is educated in these differences, and if women still seek out medical care from people who are not attuned to these differences, they are not going to get the medical care and attention that they need addressed.

Even as subtle as the new guidelines for the treatment of blood pressure and cholesterol, if doctors aren’t familiar with these or educated in these differences, they are not going to get the current recommended treatments that they need.

About Dr. Smolens, M.D.:
Board Certified Cardiothoracic Surgeon Iva Smolens, M.D., serves as medical director of the Women's Heart Center at Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa, Arizona. She currently serves on the American Heart Association’s Board of Directors for the Phoenix metropolitan area.

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Tags

• Heart Disease