Research Cores

Cardiovascular Health in Women

Teresa Caulin-Glaser, M.D.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in women. The rate of heart disease among women between ages 45 and 64 is one in nine with annual health care costs of $1.2 billion. Increasing evidence shows that when heart disease occurs, its appearance and clinical course can be dramatically different for women and men.

Vision

Women’s Health Research at Yale has developed a special focus, or Core of Research, designed to foster investigations addressing critical questions in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease in women. In particular, the Core’s current focus is on post-heart attack care.

National data suggest that women may not receive adequate post-heart attack care. Consequently, our Core has initiated a series of studies addressing the critical question – how can we facilitate and enhance the effectiveness of lifesaving rehabilitative and preventive care after heart attack in women? The results of our studies are beginning to shed light on key treatment and prevention issues faced by women.

We now know that:

• Female gender is an independent predictor of non-completion of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after a coronary event.
• CR completion in women shows benefits equal to men.
• Women are more likely to participate in CR and have better outcomes if stress-reducing interventions are added to usual care.

These findings are now being used by healthcare professionals and patients in the clinical decision-making process in our inter-institutional collaboration with Dr. Teresa Caulin-Glaser, Executive Director of the McConnell Heart Health Center in Columbus, Ohio - a high volume clinical facility which serves thousands of patients per year.

The McConnell Health Center

The McConnell Health Center was established in 1998 to provide prevention and wellness. It routinely serves over 5,000 individuals within a variety of clinical programs, including Rehabilitation Programs (Cardiovascular and Pulmonary), a Spine Sport and Joint Center, an Anticoagulation Clinic, a Cardio Metabolic Clinic, and a Health Assessment Program.

Interdisciplinary research was established within the center in 2002 to respond to the need for scientific information on primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Although the initial focus of research has been on the prevention of cardiovascular disease, research at the McConnell Heart Health Center broadens the scope of knowledge on:

• weight management
• depression in chronic disease
• musculoskeletal disorders
• coagulation disorders
• age-related issues in the management of chronic disease

The McConnell Health Center has physicians from many specialties, nurses, exercise physiologists, registered dieticians, physical therapists, pharmacists and statisticians who work to develop and provide high-quality clinical research studies and services. In collaboration with Women’s Health Research at Yale, the McConnell Health Center focuses on gender differences in understanding cardiovascular disease and developing gender-specific treatment and prevention interventions.

The Executive Director

Dr. Caulin-Glaser specializes in preventive cardiovascular medicine. She received her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1987, and completed her internal medicine internship, residency, and chief residency at Yale University School of Medicine. She also completed her cardiovascular research and clinical fellowship at Yale, and is certified by the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine. Prior to coming to the McConnell Heart Health Center in 2002, Dr. Caulin-Glaser was Associate Professor of Internal Medicine in the Section of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale. She has been the primary investigator on several NIH- sponsored clinical trials, authored several medical text chapters, and has published over 70 peer reviewed papers and abstracts. Dr. Caulin-Glaser has recently co-authored a book with John Elefteriades, M.D. titled “The Woman’s Heart: An Owner’s Guide” directed to women of all ages.

Core Director: Teresa Caulin-Glaser, M.D., Executive Director of the McConnell Heart Health Center in Columbus, Ohio