1/22/2008 - Daily
Heart Disease in Women: A Focus on Women's Cardiac Health

Women’s cardiac health often gets overlooked by the media. Some illnesses such as reproductive health and menopause receive a lot of attention, and the importance of heart disease prevention is not stressed nearly enough. In this Patient Power program featuring Dr. Roberta Bogaev, the focus is on women's cardiac health. Dr. Bogaev is the Medical Director of Heart Failure and Transplant at the Texas Heart Institute. Also joining the program are two of Dr. Bogaev’s patients, a mother and daughter who share their heartfelt stories.

Roberta, now in her early 80s, began having heart problems in her 50s and eventually underwent triple bypass surgery. When her daughter, Shirley, turned 50, Robert encouraged her to see a cardiologist. When her Mother (Roberta) came to visit, she accompanied her to an appointment with Dr. Bogaev. She considers that one of the best things she has ever done, going together to the cardiologist. Here a mother and daughter have worked together to make small changes which have resulted in huge successes for their health.

Dr. Bogaev begins talking about the importance of awareness. She states “What women today are often educated about is breast cancer, and my applause to the Komen Foundation for educating us about our risk of breast cancer, but what many women don’t realize is our greatest risk is that of cardiovascular disease because nearly one in two women will die of some form of cardiovascular disease.” Dr. Bogaev helps us to understand the signs and symptoms of heart problems and the role of cholesterol and blood pressure. She stresses the importance of lifestyle changes, such as exercise and proper nutrition to maintain a healthy heart and prevent disease. Dr. Bogaev is dedicated to making heart disease prevention a part of every woman’s life and this program is a testament to that.

Guests: