In a recent episode of The Wellness Conversation, the spotlight was on women's heart health. Hosts Marcus Thorpe and Lindsey Gordon engaged in a discussion with OhioHealth cardiologists Lindsay Castle, DO, and Laura Flannery, MD. The conversation aimed to shed light on the often-overlooked risks associated with heart disease in women.
Dr. Castle explained that "heart disease really can involve any part of the heart or any part of the cardiovascular system." She specializes in heart failure, describing it as "weakness of the heart muscle and its pumping or high pressure that's higher in the heart chambers than it should be."
When discussing common symptoms among women, Dr. Flannery noted that fatigue is frequently reported by her patients who undergo abnormal stress tests or receive diagnoses. "The number one thing I hear from them is fatigue," she said.
To catch symptoms early and stay ahead of treatment, Dr. Castle emphasized the importance of building a strong relationship with a primary care physician. She advised patients to communicate their symptoms clearly: “These are the symptoms I'm having. What do you think about it? Should we do some additional testing?”
The discussion also highlighted a lack of research focused on women within the field of heart health. Dr. Flannery acknowledged this gap but expressed optimism about ongoing efforts to address it: “Absolutely. I mean, I think this is something that we've come a long way with, but we still have a long way to go.” She pointed out an increasing focus on including more women in clinical trials and addressing sex-specific differences and outcomes.