Heart-Healthy Living at Every Stage of Life

From treatment to research and lifestyle modification, heart health is a major focus at Weill Cornell Medicine. 

Dr. Robert Harrington, a cardiologist who serves as Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs at Cornell University, isn’t just an expert in these topics; he cares about them deeply, from the patients treated here to the hundreds of thousands who die from heart disease in the United States each year. 

In a recent podcast episode, Dr. Harrington pointed to the enormous progress made over the last 50 years, not only in terms of innovative treatments but in how we think about heart disease and what we know about prevention. That goes for those in the medical professions and the lay public alike. 

“At Weill Cornell Medicine, we really have it all,” he says. “We have people who focus on prevention. We have world-class physicians who are working on replacing heart valves percutaneously, meaning without surgery, among other innovative treatments. And we also have outstanding surgeons if something in the heart needs correcting.” 

As a leader and a cardiologist, his goal is to empower us to live heart-healthy lives while supporting and growing the clinical and research expertise for which Weill Cornell Medicine is widely recognized. 

The scope of the problem 

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. and worldwide (with the exception of sub-Saharan Africa, where its prevalence is increasing). That stark fact is true for both men and women.  

We used to think that men suffered from heart disease more than women did, he says, but we now know that isn’t true.  

During the American Heart Association’s campaign called Go Red for Women, Dr. Harrington sported a red dress on his lapel. Its purpose? To draw attention to heart disease in women throughout Heart Health Month.  

Heart disease is broadly similar in men and women. Both get coronary disease. Both get heart failure. And both get arrhythmias. But their symptoms may present differently.  

Dr. Harrington goes on to explain some of these differences. 

Heart disease in women 

As an example, Dr. Harrington looks at coronary disease—blockages in the arteries. “There’s that classic picture of the middle-aged businessman clutching the middle of his chest. We see that he’s having a heart attack. But with women, the pain may not be quite as clear-cut. It may be an ache in the arm. It may be nausea. A woman’s symptoms may be felt in the abdomen rather than in the middle of the chest. 

“The Go Red for Women Campaign is about making sure women take their symptoms seriously,” he continues, “especially if they have risk factors for heart disease.”  

Good news and bad news 

In the not-too-distant past, smoking was a major driver of heart disease in this country. But nowadays, smoking is at an all-time low in the U.S., and that applies to both men and women. If you still smoke, make every effort to quit, Dr. Harrington urges. 

The bad news, though, is that obesity is on the rise. And obesity goes hand in hand with high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, all of which portend an increased risk of heart disease. 

Additionally, the U.S. population is aging, and that affects women disproportionately. Women tend to live longer than men, and on average, they experience heart disease 10 years later than men do. 

However, there’s more good news, says Dr. Harrington, and that has to do with prevention. “In many cases, cardiovascular disease can be prevented via weight control, blood sugar control, diabetes management, and managing high cholesterol. Exercise, too, is foundational to cardiovascular health.”