Nonsurgical Heart Care

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If you need help for a heart condition, SoutheastHEALTH is here for you. Our comprehensive approach to heart care includes many nonsurgical treatments. You can count on us for the best cardiology care in the region and beyond.

Our highly trained team includes cardiologists, advanced practice registered nurses who specialize in cardiology, and other support staff. Every member of our team is committed to helping you live a long and healthy life. Our staff's expertise is one of the reasons we are one of the only providers in Missouri to receive Advanced Certification by The Joint Commission and certification as a Comprehensive Cardiac Center by the American Heart Association.

Should women worry about heart attacks? Take this quiz to find out.

Reviewed 1/20/2023

Women and heart attacks: True or false?

Heart disease is just as much a concern for women as men. But heart attacks can have different symptoms in women. What's your heart attack IQ?

True or false: Breast cancer kills more women than heart disease.

False. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women and a big risk factor for having a heart attack. Cancer—including breast cancer—is the second leading cause of death for women.

True or false: Heart attack symptoms can differ between men and women, but chest pain is the most common symptom for both.

True. The pain can feel like a heavy pressure, squeezing or fullness around your heart or in your chest. It might feel like heartburn or indigestion. Usually it lasts for more than a few minutes, but it can sometimes go away and come back. If you have chest pain or discomfort, call 911.

True or false: Women are less likely than men to survive a heart attack.

True. One reason may be that women have heart attacks at older ages than men. Women also are more likely to have less-common symptoms—such as shortness of breath; nausea and vomiting; and pain in the back, neck or jaw. They may wait to seek help or be misdiagnosed.

True or false: One heart attack symptom that women may ignore is feeling unusually tired.

True. One of the most common symptoms women having a heart attack report is feeling weak and having little energy, sort of like having the flu. The fatigue can come on suddenly or occur over several days.

True or false: If a woman thinks she's having a heart attack, the first thing she should do is take an aspirin.

False. The first thing anyone—male of female—should do is call 911. Taking aspirin may be a good follow-up action, but it's best to wait for the emergency operator's instructions.

Heart disease can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or race. But certain factors may up your risk. Talk to a doctor about your risk—and what you can do to prevent a heart attack.

Are you at risk for a heart attack

The signs of a heart attack in women

Sources: American Heart Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Office on Women's Health

Sources

American Heart Association. "Common Questions About Heart Attack in Women." Common Questions about Heart Attack in Women | Go Red for Women.
American Heart Association. "Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women and Men." https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/signs-and-symptoms-in-women/symptoms-of-a-heart-attack.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Heart Disease Facts." https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Women's Health." https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/womens-health.htm.
Office on Women's Health. "Heart Attack and Women." https://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-disease-and-stroke/heart-disease/heart-attack-and-women.
Office on Women's Health. "Heart Attack Symptoms." https://www.womenshealth.gov/heart-disease-and-stroke/heart-disease/heart-attack-and-women/heart-attack-symptoms.

Conditions We Treat in Our Heart Clinics

Heart disease is a term that includes many different conditions, all of which our specialists address. Here are just a few of the heart conditions we diagnose and treat:

Coronary artery disease
Arrhythmias
Heart failure
Cardiomyopathy
Heart valve disease
Peripheral vascular disease

How We Care for Your Heart

Whatever your heart condition, our cardiology team will create a plan to help you be well and protect your heart.

Some of the ways we help include:

Heart-healthy recommendations. Lifestyle changes are among the keys to managing a heart condition. We can help you make the changes that make sense for your heart.

For example, depending on your needs, you may receive:

Heart-healthy dietary advice.
Help quitting smoking.
A safe exercise prescription. If you're recovering from a serious heart problem, you might be a candidate for cardiac rehabilitation, a program of heart-health education and supervised exercise.

Medication management. Along with lifestyle changes, you might need to take medicines for your heart. We'll make sure you understand your medications and know how to take them correctly.

Cardiology consultations. Our patients see providers in our SoutheastHEALTH cardiology offices or other outpatient settings. We offer many convenient locations to better serve you.

Noninvasive procedures. Nuclear imaging, stress testing, echocardiography and electrocardiography (EKG) are among the many heart tests we offer to help diagnose or manage a cardiovascular condition. We also perform noninvasive procedures such as cardioversion, which restores a normal heart rhythm.

Special Care in Our Heart Failure Program

Are you living with congestive heart failure? If so, you may need help staying out of the hospital and living a better, more vigorous life. Our Heart Failure Disease Management Program is designed to help you do just that.

In this special program, you will receive help from a team of specialists. Nurses, doctors, dietary experts and social workers are some of the people by your side. They'll give you the support and the knowledge you and your family need to stay healthier longer.

Being part of our program may also help you prevent frequent hospitalizations.

Please call 573.331.6709 to learn more about the heart failure program.

How to Make an Appointment with a SoutheastHEALTH Cardiologist

You do not need a referral to see a cardiologist or another member of our team.

Please call 573.331.6710 to schedule an appointment at any of our locations.

Nonsurgical Heart Care