When your heart needs help, you can find it right here at the Unity Health - Cardiology Clinic.
We offer high-quality cardiology services close to home. This means you won't have to wait long to see a heart specialist or receive a test your primary care doctor orders. Discover more about how we care for you.
Expert cardiologists and hometown care
Our highly trained board-certified cardiologists have many years of experience. And they're highly committed to offering you the best heart care.
Reviewed 1/20/2023
Women and heart attacks: True or false?
Heart disease is just as much a concern for women as men. But heart attacks can have different symptoms in women. What's your heart attack IQ?
True or false: Breast cancer kills more women than heart disease.
False. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women and a big risk factor for having a heart attack. Cancer—including breast cancer—is the second leading cause of death for women.
True or false: Heart attack symptoms can differ between men and women, but chest pain is the most common symptom for both.
True. The pain can feel like a heavy pressure, squeezing or fullness around your heart or in your chest. It might feel like heartburn or indigestion. Usually it lasts for more than a few minutes, but it can sometimes go away and come back. If you have chest pain or discomfort, call 911.
True or false: Women are less likely than men to survive a heart attack.
True. One reason may be that women have heart attacks at older ages than men. Women also are more likely to have less-common symptoms—such as shortness of breath; nausea and vomiting; and pain in the back, neck or jaw. They may wait to seek help or be misdiagnosed.
True or false: One heart attack symptom that women may ignore is feeling unusually tired.
True. One of the most common symptoms women having a heart attack report is feeling weak and having little energy, sort of like having the flu. The fatigue can come on suddenly or occur over several days.
True or false: If a woman thinks she's having a heart attack, the first thing she should do is take an aspirin.
False. The first thing anyone—male of female—should do is call 911. Taking aspirin may be a good follow-up action, but it's best to wait for the emergency operator's instructions.
Heart disease can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or race. But certain factors may up your risk. Talk to a doctor about your risk—and what you can do to prevent a heart attack.
Are you at risk for a heart attack
The signs of a heart attack in women
Sources: American Heart Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Office on Women's Health
Sources
- American Heart Association. "Common Questions About Heart Attack in Women." Common Questions about Heart Attack in Women | Go Red for Women.
- American Heart Association. "Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women and Men." https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/signs-and-symptoms-in-women/symptoms-of-a-heart-attack.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Heart Disease Facts." https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Women's Health." https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/womens-health.htm.
- Office on Women's Health. "Heart Attack and Women." https://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-disease-and-stroke/heart-disease/heart-attack-and-women.
- Office on Women's Health. "Heart Attack Symptoms." https://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-disease-and-stroke/heart-disease/heart-attack-and-women/heart-attack-symptoms.
Together with their highly skilled team, our cardiologists diagnose and treat a vast majority of heart and blood vessel conditions—from coronary artery disease to heart failure, irregular heartbeats and high cholesterol.
Advanced technology and services
Our advanced cardiac technology and facilities bring you state-of-the-art cardiac care. Here are a few of the cardiac services our team provides:
- Diagnostic tests. These include EKG (electrocardiogram); echocardiograms; nuclear cardiology; treadmill stress tests; and vascular studies, such as aortic ultrasound and carotid duplex scans.
- Cardiac rehabilitation. Our cardiac rehabilitation program called Smart Heart teaches, supports and encourages patients as they recover form heart episodes. Learn more about our cardiac rehabilitation services.
- Pacemaker placement. A pacemaker may be needed to correct an abnormal heartbeat or other cardiac conditions.
- Holter monitor placement. A noninvasive Holter monitor records your heart's electrical activity while you wear it during daily activities.
- Cholesterol screening blood tests, or a lipid profile, help determine your risk for heart disease.
- Preventive cardiology. We develop treatment plans if you're at high risk for heart disease—for instance, because of your family history.
- 64-slice CT imaging system. Our advanced CT scanner provides detailed images of the heart to help diagnose previously undetected heart disease. This test is useful for patients who have risk factors for heart disease.
- Cardiac catheterization. Many conditions can be managed with diet and exercise changes and medicine. But sometimes a heart procedure is needed. Our Phillips Catheterization Labs are home to the most advanced cardiac catheterization technology. The cath labs are where procedures, such as coronary artery stent placement, are used to diagnose or treat narrowed or blocked blood vessels in the heart.
Our cath lab is located at Unity Health - White County Medical Center. Most other tests and treatments are offered at the Unity Health - Cardiology Clinic.
Make an appointment
Getting connected to the Unity Health - Cardiology Clinic is easy, since you do not need a referral to see one of our knowledgeable specialists. Your very first visit will be with one of our skilled physicians.
Patients are seen in the clinic for a variety of services, including:
- Initial consultations
- Follow-up visits
- Medication therapies
To make an appointment at the Unity Health - Cardiology Clinic, call 501.279.9393.