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Educate. Prevent. Treat.Specialized Care for Heart Disease in Women

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The Johns Hopkins Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center provides education, comprehensive treatment and diagnostic services to prevent and manage heart disease in women.

 
 
 

Specialized Programs

Our center provides treatment for any woman to help prevent cardiovascular disease. The Women's Cardiovascular Health Center features specialized clinics including:

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SCAD Clinic

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) occurs when there is a tear in a blood vessel in the heart which can cause a heart attack. Although it is an overall rare cause of heart attacks, SCAD is common among pre-menopausal and middle-aged women. Our SCAD program provides counseling and management for women who have experienced this condition.

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Oncology Cardiovascular Disease Clinic

Cardiovascular disease can occur in women with a history of breast or other cancers, either from similar risk factors between the two conditions or resulting from cancer treatment. Our clinic provides specialized cardiovascular treatment and prevention for women who have been treated for cancer.

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Microvascular Angina Clinic

Microvascular Angina is chest pain caused by abnormal small arteries in the heart. This clinic provides treatment for this commonly undetected heart disease.

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Cardio-Obstetrics Clinic

The Cardio Obstetrics clinic provides heart disease treatment and prevention in women that are pregnant or are thinking about becoming pregnant who are at increased cardiovascular risk.

 
 
 

Heart Disease Risk Factors in Women

 
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Most people are familiar with the risk factors for heart disease—such as age, family or personal history, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and physical inactivity, but many don’t know that the following risk factors may play a larger role in the development of heart disease in women:

    • Smoking
    • Mental illness– women are more prone to depression and anxiety, which has been linked to heart disease.
    • Metabolic syndrome – this combination of risk factors (obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose and triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol) increases the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease
    • Rheumatologic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus – inflammation can cause fluid to collect around the heart and result in greater progress of coronary disease; women are more prone to rheumatoid arthritis and lupus than men
    • Complications and disorders associated with pregnancy – including diabetes and hypertension (pre-eclampsia)
    • C-reactive protein – a signal of inflammation that might indicate cardiovascular risk
    • Diabetes- women with diabetes have coronary artery disease at a much earlier age than women without diabetes
  • The following self-tests are a starting point to understanding risk factors, and do not replace a visit to your cardiologist.

    • Reynolds Risk Score:
      The Reynolds Risk Score is a self-test that factors in age, cholesterol, blood pressure, family history, and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (a protein produced by the liver that reflects inflammation that is a factor leading to atherosclerosis) to provide an estimate of risk for cardiovascular disease that may occur over the next 10 years.
    • BMI (body mass index):???
      Your body mass index is a measure of a person’s weight, which is arrived at by multiplying height in meters and weight in kilograms. A high BMI may indicate that you may be overweight or obese.
  • For Patients:
    Johns Hopkins Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center makes it easy to access the specialists and services you need. To schedule an appointment directly, call 443-997-0270. We’ll route you to the correct specialist, and provide all the information you need to prepare for your visit.

    Cardiology & Vascular Medicine: 443-997-0270

    Cardiac Surgery: 410-955-2800

    Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy: 410-955-5165

    Pediatric Heart Program: 410-955-9714

    Interventional Radiology: 410-502-2835
    Save time before your appointment at the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center. Print and complete your patient intake form before your appointment. (This is not required, but is offered as a convenience for patients.)

    For Physicians:
    Visit refer a patient to view referral numbers by specialty and learn more about our referring physician services.

 

Services and Treatments

Cardiovascular disease can develop without any symptoms for years but can be prevented or easily treated. Our cardiologists provide a variety of clinical services including evaluation, examination, and diagnostic testing.

Our center provides personalized treatment for each patient including lifestyle management.

  • Services

    Learn more about our comprehensive services for women at risk for cardiovascular disease.

  • Treatments

    View our specialized treatments for women diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

 
Multidisciplinary Care

Meet Our Specialists

Our multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive care for Women at risk or diagnosed with heart disease.

Meet Our Experts
 

Find Your Specialized Condition

Our team of experts treat a variety of conditions relating to women's cardiovascular health. Learn more about our team's specialties and interests.

 
 

Make a Donation

Support our researchers' and physicians' ongoing efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease by making a donation online, by phone or by mail.

Online

Make a donation now or pledge to give later. Fill out our secure online giving form.

Over the Phone

Call us at 410-907-5010 to speak to someone directly about making a donation.

Mail

Download our charitable giving form and mail it to our development office.
 
 
 

Our Locations

The Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center’s main location is at Green Spring Station. Our alternative locations are at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and at our community physician center in Columbia, Maryland.

 
 

Heart Health Resources for Women

Learn more about cardiovascular disease in women from Johns Hopkins heart specialists.

 

Women's Health Articles

Read more about heart disease preventions from our collection of women-centered health articles from Johns Hopkins Health.

 
 

Advanced Research in Cardiovascular Disease

Our researchers continue to make on-going discoveries in cardiovascular disease, creating more effective prevention and treatment. Learn more about our current research pursuits.

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