Women's Heart Center
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| Women's Heart Center Medical Director Dr. Iva Smolens (far left) and Banner Heart CEO Laura Robertson (far right) want to help younger generations live heart-healthy lives. They are pictured with Smolens' daughter Jordyn, 4, and Robertson's daughters, Abby, 10, and Carly, 16. |
1 in 3 women in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease every year. The Women's Heart Center at Banner Heart Hospital has a mission to be a resource for women that provides education, information and preventative screenings to assist women in making healthy decisions in their lives and helps to reduce deaths caused by heart disease.
"Protecting women from heart disease begins with education," said Laura Robertson, CEO of Banner Heart Hospital, "but getting that education out to women who need it isn't easy."
The risk and incidence of heart disease starts to increase in women at age 40, yet many women are not aware of the symptoms of heart disease. Many think of it as a "men's" disease. Women are accustomed to being caregivers. They tend to dismiss their own symptoms and take longer to seek medical attention.
"Women don't develop heart disease as early as men, but their risk is just as great," said Dr. Iva Smolens, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon and the medical director of the Women's Heart Center.
At Banner Heart Hospital, our purpose is to increase awareness of the risk and symptoms of heart disease and provide appropriate and timely treatment for women through:
- Education: Free community presentations, and online and printed resources
- Assessment: Free tools that help patients determine their risk for heart disease
- Consultation: Help for high-risk patients in finding the right physician. Women at risk will be referred to cardiologists who can help them identify the true extent of their heart disease and help delay or prevent their first heart attack, which could be fatal.
For more information about the Women's Heart Center or to find out when the next educational presentation will be, call (480) 854-5091.
