Women’s Cardiology

At NYU Langone Heart, our cardiologists recognize that women’s heart health requires a unique approach. With heart disease as the leading cause of death in women, our dedicated specialists provide the tools you need to prevent heart disease, and the compassion and support you need to navigate diagnosis and treatment.

Women’s Heart Conditions We Treat

Our cardiologists treat heart conditions that disproportionately affect women. We create a personalized care plan that may include medications and lifestyle changes such as incorporating heart healthy nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction into your daily routine for the following conditions:

• heart attack with no blockage, also known as myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA), which is different from typical heart attack caused by severe blockage from cholesterol plaque
• coronary microvascular dysfunction, or dysfunction of blood vessels feeding the heart that are too small to see on a standard angiogram or CT imaging test
• coronary artery spasm, the sudden and temporary tightening of arteries that carry blood to the heart
• angina with no blockage, also known as ischemia (reduced blood flow), with no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA), which can be caused by coronary microvascular dysfunction or coronary artery spasm
• spontaneous coronary dissection (SCAD), a blood collection in a heart artery wall
• infection or inflammation of the blood vessels, which may temporarily block blood flow to the heart
• takotsubo syndrome (also known to some as broken heart syndrome), a sudden weakening of the heart muscle that arises with a mentally or physically stressful event such as the death of a loved one

Our physicians also work with interventional cardiologists to manage blocked arteries caused by coronary artery disease, cardiac surgeons for conditions such as aortic dissection, or a tear in the aorta, and specialists at the Heart Rhythm Center to manage AFib, or other irregular heartbeat disorders.

We may refer you to doctors at our Heart Failure Advanced Care Center to manage cardiomyopathy or diastolic heart failure (also known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction), a condition in which the heart does not relax properly between beats and pumps out less blood.

In addition, our cardiologists also work with our cardiac team at our Heart Valve Center to manage heart valve disorders. Providers at the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health and physiatrists specializing in cardiac rehabilitation services may also be a part of your care team.

Our Expertise in Women’s Heart Health

Our cardiologists have a deep understanding of your health needs and use the latest technology to ensure an accurate diagnosis. We listen to ensure you feel heard and understand that women who have coronary artery disease or are experiencing a heart attack may describe their symptoms—especially chest pain—differently from men. The same is true for women who are experiencing heart attack with no blockage or other cardiovascular conditions.

Advanced Diagnostic Tools

In addition to taking a thorough medical and family history, our cardiologists use the latest diagnostic tools to determine the cause of your symptoms. If we suspect a blockage is not the problem, we may order a special provocation test that is available at only a handful of other medical centers in the United States. During this test, we may also check for coronary microvascular dysfunction.

We may refer you to our cardiac imaging and testing services to assess the heart and blood vessels. Testing in our cardiac catheterization laboratory may help us to detect blocked arteries.

Our women’s cardiology specialists are also exploring new ways to image the heart and blood vessels through our innovative clinical trials. We have discovered that women may benefit from several types of imaging to accurately diagnose their condition.

Preventive Care in Women

A heart-healthy lifestyle that prioritizes diet, exercise, stress management, and getting enough sleep is one of the most effective ways to prevent heart disease, and we partner with you to help you realize these goals.

Certain women are at higher risk of heart disease. Risk factors include high blood pressure or a history of pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Our cardiologists may work with specialists at NYU Langone Heart’s Cardio-Obstetrics Program to manage heart health before, during, and after pregnancy. Hormonal changes that occur with menopause can also raise the risk of heart disease.

If you are receiving cancer treatment, your risk for heart problems can increase. Our doctors may refer you to specialists in our Cardio-Oncology Program to support your cardiovascular health as you navigate cancer care.

If you are at a high risk of developing a heart condition, we can refer you to our specialists at the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease.