Women’s heart health researchers gather at UK for symposium

Did you know that women are less likely to survive a cardiac event than men? In fact, cardiovascular disease and stroke cause one in three deaths among women each year, killing one American woman every 80 seconds. 

Two faculty members at UK are advocating for expanded research of cardiovascular health in women. For the fifth year, Analia Loria, PhD, and Frederique Yiannikouris, PhD, both assistant professors in the Department of Pharmacology & Nutrition Sciences at the UK College of Medicine, will host the Healthy Hearts for Women Symposium. The symposium will feature exemplary scientists from UK and other universities across North America who will present research and new findings in women’s heart health and translational cardiovascular medicine. 

"The National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association are funding research and recognizing the importance of understanding the cardiovascular differences between men and women and the impact of those differences in treatment," Loria said. "We wanted to replicate this at the University of Kentucky by bringing to the table ongoing research and therapies in development."

It's very important to find better and more adapted treatment by taking into account women's unique needs, which should make a huge difference in terms of human health outcomes, Yiannikouris added. 

Speakers and presentations include: 

• Introduction by UK President Dr. Eli Capilouto.
• Sandra T. Davidge, PhD, University of Alberta, “Impact of pregnancy complications on maternal and offspring cardiovascular health.”
• Heather M. Bush, PhD, University of Kentucky, “WHY what happens to you matters for your heart: Quantifying the effect of violence using Wellness, Health & You.”
• Dr. Martha Gulati, University of Arizona, “Women & Cardiovascular Disease: Is there really a sex difference?” 
• Ming C. Gong, PhD, University of Kentucky, “Sex differences in aortic aneurysm.” 

The symposium is free and open to the public and will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 1, in the Karpf Auditorium of UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital's Pavilion A. It is sponsored by the Department of Pharmacology & Nutrition Sciences in the UK College of Medicine, the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, and the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center.