A capacity crowd of nearly 100 area women filled seats at Villa Rica’s The Venue to learn more about a topic that’s critically important but rarely discussed: how to take care of their hearts.
Women traveled from throughout west Georgia and as far away as eastern Alabama for Tanner’s free “Red for a Reason” event on Saturday, Feb. 18, which featured a heart-healthy meal from The Olive Tree, educational displays and a presentation led by Dia Smiley, DO, a cardiologist with Tanner Heart & Vascular Specialists.
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among women, causing a third of all deaths among women and claiming another woman’s life every minute.
Dr. Smiley discussed the risk factors for women and heart disease, from issues that could be controlled — such as diet and tobacco use — to factors that women can’t control, such as age and family history.
“For years, you heard of cardiovascular disease as being primarily a man’s disease,” said Dr. Smiley. “But women die of cardiovascular disease in numbers that can be equal to or greater than men. You may know women who died from cardiovascular disease — they passed away in their sleep or collapsed at home — and you never realized that they had cardiovascular disease.”
Dr. Smiley said that cardiovascular disease is such a widespread problem, especially in west Georgia and east Alabama, that virtually everyone either has the disease or knows someone who does.
“That’s why it’s so important that women familiarize themselves with cardiovascular disease, that they know their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and that they know when to call 911 if they have the symptoms of a heart attack” Dr. Smiley said.
Shazib Khawaja, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist with Tanner Heart & Vascular Specialists and medical operations leader for Tanner Heart Care, discussed some of the recent enhancements that Tanner has made to its heart program, including establishing accredited chest pain centers in Carrollton and Villa Rica and launching angioplasty and stenting services at Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica. The program is also evaluating ways to improve its heart attack response time, which is already much faster than the national average.
Villa Rica’s own Thomas A. Dorsey Birthplace Choir also performed several songs. At the end of the discussion, Dr. Smiley and Dr. Khawaja took questions from the audience, discussing the value of screenings, possible medication interactions and changes women can make to live a more heart-healthy — and potentially longer — life.
The event coincided with National Heart Month this February and echoed the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign, encouraging women to wear red to highlight the need for more research and education in women and heart disease. And many of the Red for a Reason attendees, as well as staff, did wear red.
More information about Tanner Heart Care and the heart care services available throughout the region is available online at www.TannerHeartCare.org.