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BMH to Launch Women’s HeartAdvantage Program

Feb. 5, 2004 - (BUTLER, PA) – The HeartCenter at Butler Memorial Hospital is launching a new program designed to focus on women’s No. 1 health problem: cardiovascular disease.

The Women’s Heart Advantage program, which launches in February, will offer heart health screenings to women in the community and help educate women about early warning signs for heart disease.

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among women in the United States, striking more women than the next seven causes of death combined; but fewer than a third of women are aware of this. By encouraging them to learn the early warning signs of heart disease and talk to their physicians, many lives can be saved.

BMH Cardiologist Suad Ismail, M.D. says that while symptoms of heart disease are similar for men and women, there are important differences as well. "We tend to think of heart disease as a man’s disease, and focus on those classic male symptoms," says Dr. Ismail. "But women can have other symptoms as well, and we in the medical community must learn to pay more attention to those."

On Feb. 14, BMH will publicly launch the Women’s HeartAdvantage program to the women of Butler County with a comprehensive cardiovascular screening at Clearview Mall in Butler. The screening will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in center court at the mall.

The screening includes: a personal risk assessment, blood pressure check, a height weight and body mass index, a pulse rate and regularity, a carotid bruits test, an ankle/brachial index for peripheral vascular disease and bone densitometry. The screening will be free and done on a first come, first served basis. An optional lipid profile voucher will be offered for $10.

During an October 2003 study conducted in the BMH service area, BMH learned that 55% of the women age 40 to 60 are at some risk for a heart attack but are unaware of that risk. In addition, the latest Community Health Assessment performed by BMH in 2002 concluded that women in Butler County were more at risk of heart disease than men because of lifestyle factors including obesity, diet and lack of exercise.

"This is the reason we want to educate area women about heart disease," says Peter Brown, Executive Director of Cardiovascular Services at BMH. "Women’s symptoms are often different than men’s symptoms."

Dr. Ismail says it’s important to watch for these symptoms compiled by the American Heart Association.
    Classic Symptoms
  • Squeezing chest pain or pressure, tightness in chest or recurring chest discomfort
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Pain spreading to shoulders, neck or arms
More likely in women
  • Indigestion or gas-like pain
  • Dizziness, nausea or vomiting
  • Unexplained weakness, fatigue
  • Discomfort or pain between the shoulder blades
  • Sense of impending doom
"Women are delaying seeing their physicians or are not seeing their physicians at all when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack," says Brown. "One of our goals is to educate women to enable them to be more assertive in seeking rapid and appropriate care."

The Women’s HeartAdvantage is an initiative designed to raise awareness among women at high risk for cardiac disease. The program is financed with funds raised by the BHS Foundation’s Crystal Ball in November 2002. It is designed by Voluntary Hospitals of America (VHA) which is a network of leading community-owned health care organizations, of which BMH is a part.

Additional screenings will be held throughout Butler County as the program unfolds over the next few months. Screenings at these other sites, however, will include a lipid profile so there will be a $10 charge to cover lab fees.

A complete list of screening dates and locations is available. 		Women: Are You at Risk for Heart Disease?

Warning signs of heart disease for women are different than those for men. Knowing that, Butler Memorial Hospital is raising awareness among women of those risk signs through county-wide screenings. You can read more about the awareness program and risk factors and find out when the hospital will be in your area.
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For more information on this or other Butler Health System news, call Public Relations at 724-284-4200 or email Public Relations.

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