Mayo Clinic Cardiologist to Speak on Heart Disease in Women

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for both women and men, and Rekha Mankad, MD, cardiologist, Mayo Clinic, will be in Connecticut February 28 to help local women understand their own inherent risk of heart disease and to encourage them to take steps to decrease that risk.

The event, presented by the Women’s Wellness Fund at Middlesex Hospital, is called Heart-to-Heart, and it is free and open to the public. Dr. Mankad is the guest speaker. WFSB anchor, Denise D’Ascenzo, will be the master of ceremonies.

Middlesex Hospital is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. This relationship provides the Hospital with access to Mayo Clinic knowledge, resources and its physicians, such as Dr. Mankad.

When it comes to heart disease, Dr. Mankad says a common misconception is that its occurrence is rare in women; another is that you can’t do anything to reduce your risk of getting the disease. While more women are recognizing that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, Dr. Mankad says they don’t realize that they are part of that statistic. "They don’t think it will happen to them," she says.

Another reality: The risk of dying after a heart attack is statistically greater in young women.

The Warning Signs
Women tend to have more atypical symptoms than men when they present with heart disease, says Dr. Mankad. While women still frequently experience chest pain, that pain is accompanied by other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea and fatigue, more often than in men.

Dr. Mankad also says that the pain may not be only in the chest for women. It could also be between the shoulder blades or in the jaw.

To learn more about heart disease in women, attend Heart-to-Heart. The event will be held at Chapman Hall at Middlesex Community College, 100 Training Hill Road in Middletown. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

You are encouraged to register for the event and can do so by calling 860-358-8856 or by emailing womenswellnessfund@gmail.com.

About the Women’s Wellness Fund
The Women’s Wellness Fund at Middlesex Hospital advocates for, educates about and funds priority women’s health projects in the Middlesex County community. For more information, visit middlesexhospital.org/womenswellnessfund.