February may be all about hearts, but heart disease prevention happens year-round. To make it as effortless for patients as possible, Trinity Health Of New England is home to cutting-edge, patient- centered programs of integrated Cardiovascular care. This care model includes entities at each Trinity Health Of New England acute care hospital, including the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute at Saint Francis Hospital, home to the Women’s Heart Program. In a conversation with Dr. Geetha Bhumireddy, Director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute at Saint Francis, we talk about how they continue to offer the community high-quality and safe care, tailored to an individual’s unique needs.
Q: Why is prevention important to our heart health?
A: Heart disease spans a wide spectrum of issues that can impact a person’s life in many different ways. This can be high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, arrhythmia, or heart failure, among other things. While we are able to tap into many of the latest tools, procedures, and technological advances in the field of cardiovascular care, prevention measures are critical to ensure a patient does not prolong the effects of heart disease. If a patient has already had an episode, secondary prevention can help stop them from having another one by working with a comprehensive and integrated team. Even if a patient has suffered a heart attack, through continued care and education, available to patients in our Cardia Rehabilitation Program, they can gradually get back into a solid routine and back to the things they love. We get a lot of thank-you letters from patients after going through our program, because it gives them the confidence they need to go back to living their lives! Our ultimate goal is for our community and the patients we serve have the highest quality of life for the longest amount of time.
Q: Why is it particularly important for women to focus on good heart health and pay attention to any signs of heart disease?
A: Women’s signs of an cardiac episode differ from men’s. They could be as subtle as fatigue, heartburn, or lightheadedness. It is so important for women to seek medical attention anytime they feel something isn’t right, and make sure to stick to regular visits with their primary care physician. Women tend to put their health care needs last as they are often the caretakers for the rest of the family, but it’s important to “know your numbers.” Everyday numbers like blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, vitamin D, and A1c can all help catch diseases early, sometimes even before symptoms begin. Annual check ups with your Primary Care physician or Cardiologist are key to knowing your numbers. Prevention is important for women too! Fitting healthy choices into busy lives can be tough, but dedicating time to exercise goes a long way towards stopping disease before it begins.
Q: The Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute at Saint Francis Hospital has a comprehensive approach to Cardiovascular care. How do these services support women in need of specialized care or heart disease?
A: While we specialize in Cardiovascular care, we look at the whole person, and have put together a strong team who cover a vast array of sub-specialties. I’m also proud to be part of our Women’s Health Initiative, a group of physicians covering everything from Primary Care to Cardiology, Dermatology, and everything in between. We work together to prevent significant medical issues such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and stroke. Having a one stop shop makes such a big difference. Women don’t have to decide who to see next, they’re all right there in one place. We also work directly with our colleagues in our Comprehensive Women’s Health Center to provide cardiovascular care to women undergoing chemotherapy or other secondary heart disease impacts. So many new medications are helping to give women with cancer new hope, but some do carry serious cardiological side effects, so we work together to give the patient the best outcome possible. Along with our offerings like cardiac rehabilitation and nutritional support tailored for a wide spectrum of cases, we’re also proud to work with community partners to do community outreach and provide educational and informational sessions to both men and women in the greater Hartford region. Knowledge is key, and we are happy to help provide it.
For more information visit: TrinityHealthOfNE.org/Heart.
