Press Release

Dr. Hunter Updates Burgess Wear Red Guests on Heart Health

 More women die of heart disease than cancer, says Dr. Claire Hunter, cardiologist at Creighton Cardiac Center on the Burgess Health Center campus. One in three women will die of cardiovascular disease, but women can do something about it, she told 120 guests at the recent Burgess Wear Red event.

The Burgess program drew women and a few men to hear from Hunter, Dr. Mary of Onawa and Dr. Deborah Majerus of Cardiovascular Associates in Sioux City. Women can take control of their heart health through attitude, diet and activity, Hunter told the group.

A lot of attention was focused on women not being diagnosed, but attention for women has improved, which is good because women show symptoms of a heart attack in different ways than men, the long-time cardiologist says.

For example, medical experts have learned the women can suffer from “irritable blood vessels,” Hunter says. Since women lose estrogen as they age, their vessels are not as elastic. They can develop microvascular disease which impedes blood flow and can lead to serious heart problems.

It's tough to stay trim as we age, Hunter says, consequently most men and women gain fat in their abdomens, a site where fat can add to your health risk.

“Fat abdomens secrete hormones that can lead to blockages in the arteries, which is diabetes vascular disease," Hunter says. Women’s waistlines should not measure more than 35 inches. Men’s waist sizes should not exceed 40 inches.

Hunter also cautioned about the value of CT scans that can image blood vessels. The scans can be good for some general uses, but are not ideal. Plus extra exposure to the heavy radiation from a CT scan can be risky, she says.

She shared good news. "The drug-coated stents have made a huge difference in heart health.”

Also Vitamin D is a hot topic today in the American College Cardiology, Hunter points out. Researchers are finding a growing number of people, including women, are vitamin D deficient. Many are staying out the sun which they have been told to do, but sunshine is needed to activate vitamin D. Women need a minimum of 400 IU of vitamin D daily and if they are over age 70, they need more.

“Stay tuned for vitamin D. We’ll hear a lot more about it,” Hunter says.

Hunter ended her remarks advising women to take control of their health.

“You want to be a driver in your health care, not a passenger.”