Healthy Hearts for Women event marks 10 years of raising awareness

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 12, 2024) — The University of Kentucky will mark a decade of raising awareness and continuing its effort to warn women about the dangers of heart disease with the annual Healthy Hearts for Women Symposium.

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year, according to the American Heart Association. Yet, only 44% of women recognize that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health threat.

“We see the evidence of this devastating statistic right here in Kentucky. The Commonwealth has the highest rates of deaths due to cardiovascular disease in women across the country,” said Analia Loria Kinsey, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences in the UK College of Medicine, who is one of the symposium organizers. 

“It’s important to recognize and understand the nuances of sex differences as we pursue better heart health,” said Yasir Alsiraj, Ph.D., pharmacology and nutritional sciences assistant professor and co-organizer of the symposium. “Through diligent research, we can work to create optimal treatments for women in Kentucky and the country.”

The symposium will also feature the following expert panelists:

• Licy L. Yanes Cardozo, M.D., associate professor, University of Mississippi Medical Center
  Hosted by the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
• Nina Stachenfeld, Ph.D., senior research scientist in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, Yale University
  Hosted by the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center
• Karol Watson, M.D., professor of medicine/cardiology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
  Hosted by Gill Heart and Vascular Institute
• Irene O. Aninye, Ph.D., chief science officer, Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR)
  Hosted by Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS)

“Our hope with the Healthy Hearts for Women Symposium is to bring top-notch researchers to UK to share the latest research and efforts to help women live longer, healthier lives,” said Sanda Despa, Ph.D., pharmacology and nutritional sciences professor and symposium co-organizer.

The event will be held on Feb. 2 at 8 a.m. in room 127 of the Charles T. Wethington Building. Those wishing to attend can register online here.

The Healthy Hearts for Women Symposium is sponsored by the UK College of Medicine’s Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences as well as the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the UK Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, Saha Cardiovascular Research Center and Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS).

UK HealthCare is the hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. But it is so much more. It is more than 10,000 dedicated health care professionals committed to providing advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients from the Commonwealth and beyond. It also is the home of the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for the tiniest and sickest newborns, the region’s only Level 1 trauma center and Kentucky’s top hospital ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

As an academic research institution, we are continuously pursuing the next generation of cures, treatments, protocols and policies. Our discoveries have the potential to change what’s medically possible within our lifetimes. Our educators and thought leaders are transforming the health care landscape as our six health professions colleges teach the next generation of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals, spreading the highest standards of care. UK HealthCare is the power of advanced medicine committed to creating a healthier Kentucky, now and for generations to come.