Listening to Women's Hearts

Emory Healthcare is launching the Emory Women’s Heart Center (EWHC), a new program dedicated to the screening, prevention, and treatment of heart disease in women. 

With five locations in the Atlanta area, one of the main goals of the center is to raise awareness among women of the dangers of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer of women and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.

“Most heart disease is preventable, so we want to reach these women before sixty years old and evaluate their individual risks and educate them on risk reduction,” says EWHC clinical director Gina Lundberg, assistant professor of medicine.

The EWHC offers comprehensive cardiac assessments for women at risk for heart disease as well as treatment options for those already diagnosed. “Our diverse team will counsel patients on weight loss, exercise programs, diet, and other lifestyle changes, as well as help them understand how stress, obesity, depression, and menopause may impact their hearts,” explains Lundberg.

The EWHC also is conducting research in women to determine the best diagnostic tests and treatments specific to them. Leslee Shaw, professor of cardiology at the School of Medicine, is leading this effort as the research director for the EWHC.