Women's Cardiac Program
"Our challenge is to get women to act. The problem is that women are delaying seeing their physicians or going to the hospital emergency department when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. In this campaign, we are giving women tools to help them be more assertive in seeking rapid and appropriate care. And, we are educating our physicians about their role in treating women for this illness."
— Susan Mani, M.D., Director, Women's Cardiac Program
More than 500,000 women will die this year in the United States from what many still consider a "man's disease", and countless others will needlessly overlook the greatest health threat facing American families today: Heart Disease.
Danbury Hospital has partnered with VHA Inc., a national cooperative of more than 2,200 not-for-profit health care organizations across the United States, to bring the Women's Cardiac program to Danbury Hospital for the residents of the communities we serve. Under the direction of Susan Mani, M.D., Medical Director, the Women's Cardiac Program is a comprehensive program of education and outreach designed to identify, prevent and treat cardiovascular disease in women.
Dr. Mani is leading the outreach to support early recognition of symptoms and work to motivate consumers to seek rapid and appropriate care. They will work with hospital teams and regional leaders to improve clinical care practice and outcomes. Key messages of the program include:
- Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among women, and most women do not know it.
- Women and their physicians must work together, understanding and Physicians, nurses and others at Danbury Hospital focus on continually improving the prompt, effective detection and care of women with heart disease, and work with women to overcome any reluctance to seek treatment.
- Women must be more assertive in recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack and seeking immediate care.
- Danbury Hospital is the leader in this region in providing the highest quality health care for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women.
To date, Danbury Hospital has hosted two free seminars, each featuring speakers on topics including an "Overview of Women and Heart Disease", "Knowing Your Numbers", "Diet and Nutrition", "Exercise", "Complementary Medicine and Stress Reduction" and "Smoking Cessation".
For more information on the Women's Cardiac Program and future seminars, please call (866) 374-0007.
