UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program
The UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine program and clinic were established in 1994 as the first dedicated women's heart program in the country and to address the lack of awareness that heart disease is the leading killer of women.
The pioneering program has been singled out for distinction by California’s governor and by multiple awards for its unique, cutting edge and integrated approach to heart care for women. The program also provides outreach to a number of community organizations, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Health Services.
Directed by Amparo Villablanca, the program has four major areas of focus:
- Excellence in women’s heart care that is comprehensive, woman-centered, gender specific, and evidence-based
- Community education and training of health professionals
- Innovative state of the art research
- Community engagement and advocacy
Our program aims to address cardiovascular health concerns of women by:
- Raising awareness of the impact of heart disease in women's health
- Educating health-care professionals, patients and the community
- Providing evidence-based cardiac services for women (who may require a different diagnostic and treatment approach than men) in an innovative, interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and supportive setting
- Conducting sex and gender-specific research spanning bench to bedside
- Decreasing cardiovascular disease risk and mortality for women
Clinic staff and physicians
A major strength of the Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program is the dedication and commitment of its staff to improving women's health. The program is composed primarily of female faculty, academic physicians and experienced nurse specialists. Clinical expertise among the program's health-care providers is extensive and encompasses cardiovascular disease, community medicine, international health, geriatrics, ethics, psychiatry, preventive and emergency medicine, gynecology, general internal medicine and primary care.
Contact Us
For an appointment, call 916-734-3761. For information or patient referrals, call 1-800-2UCDAVIS (1-800-282-3284).
Cardiovascular disease: The silent enemy
Although breast cancer has been widely perceived as a woman's most feared health enemy, more women in the U.S. die of heart disease than of all cancers combined. Heart disease in women is largely under-recognized; typically, a woman is older than a man when she exhibits symptoms, which are often more subtle, making detection and diagnosis difficult. As a result, cardiovascular disease in women is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated, and many women fail to receive interventions that could save their lives.
The key to reversing this trend lies in preventing the risk factors that contribute to heart disease — and increasing awareness of new therapies which can lower the incidence of the disease.
The UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program strives to enhance awareness of the importance of women's heart health among patients, healthcare providers and policymakers through a variety of educational tools, seminars, classes and events. Information is available on nutrition, hormone replacement therapy, hypertension, risk factors, exercise, medications, osteoporosis prevention and more. Individual teaching sessions, written materials, brochures and educational videos are also available.
The UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program is a nationally recognized model for women's heart care and the first program of its kind in the nation. The research expertise of the program faculty ranges from prestigious, large-scale national clinical trials to laboratory studies of the cellular and molecular foundations of heart disease in women.
UC Davis was one of the clinical centers in the country participating in the Women's Health Initiative study. Other research projects have investigated the role of sex steroid hormones on the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, antioxidants and estrogen in cholesterol uptake, soy estrogens in lowering cholesterol, hormone replacement therapy in platelet function and hormonal regulation of vascular genes.
Participating in National Research Projects
To find out more and learn how you can participate in a research study, contact the UC Davis Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at 530-752-0718.
Click here to read about our past research projects.
“Physical activity is key to heart health. I suggest walking wherever and whenever you can. Simply walking in my neighborhood regularly has markedly improved my heart function – and my life.” Sandra Bugalski |
“Take the warning signs of heart disease seriously so you can be there for those who love you. Even small changes in how much you move and what you eat can make big differences in how you feel.” Delilah Hendrix |
“Because of the nature of my condition, it wasn't imperative that I change my diet. However, I do watch my hydrogenated oils now. I eat whole grains, tofu and lean turkey. I even wear more sunscreen.” Melissa Scanland |
“Familiarize yourself with the eight risk factors for women's cardiovascular disease and be proactive in preventing their onset.” Sandra Smoley |
“My heart is definitely stronger, and so are my legs. I've never felt better. My advice is exercise.” Grace Sugiyama |
UC Davis Red Dress Collection
As part of a unique partnership between the UC Davis Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine Program and the UC Davis Department of Design, fashion design students create a collection of red dresses to raise awareness that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women. Each year in February, new designs are unveiled at the UC Davis Women’s Heart Care Education and Awareness Forum, which is held in Sacramento during National Heart Month. Click here to learn more about the program. Check our red dress collection by year below.
Resources
Information about heart-healthy living
- 10 heart-healthy steps (PDF)
- Guide to low-sodium eating (PDF)
- Heart disease factsheet: Are you at risk for heart disease after a baby? (PDF)
- Heart-healthy recipes (PDF)
- Physical activity for heart health (PDF)
- Walking 10,000 steps a day (PDF)
- Tips for quitting smoking (PDF)
- The Heart Truth action plan (PDF)
Guidelines for reducing cardiovascular disease
- Know your numbers and the signs of heart attack (PDF)
- Know the risks and signs of stroke (PDF)
- Body Mass Index (BMI) chart (PDF)
Our partners in women's heart health
- American Heart Association Go Red For Women Campaign
- Women Heart National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
