Heart disease

Heart disease is the number-one cause of death in men and women in the United States. But on the Central Coast, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula is working to reduce the effects of heart disease in our community. How? Through a comprehensive program focused on prevention, regular screening, state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment, and a long-term commitment to sustained heart health through cardiac rehabilitation and lifestyle changes.

In February 2007, Community Hospital began performing open-heart surgery and announced the formation of the Tyler Heart Institute, made possible in large part by a significant donation from Monterey Peninsula residents William and Susanne Tyler. The Tyler Heart Institute includes all the cardiac services the hospital has provided for decades - a wide array of education, wellness, diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitation services - as well as the cardiac catheterization lab, which opened in 2005, and the start of open-heart surgery under the leadership of nationally renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. Vincent Gaudiani, who has performed more than 10,000 heart surgeries in his 25-year career.

"The Tylers' generous gift will help us get to the next level with the already high-quality cardiac services we provide," said Community Hospital President/CEO Steven J. Packer, MD. "Our vision is of a seamless patient experience throughout the entire spectrum of heart care, from screening and diagnosis to post-surgical rehabilitation. The Tylers' donation will also allow us to explore future technologies and treatment strategies as the demand for heart services increases in our community."

Just for Women…

Each year more women die from heart disease than from cancer. It’s time to find out if you’re at risk.

Women’s HeartAdvantage® is a national campaign being adopted by Community Hospital to increase women’s awareness of their unique risk factors and symptoms of heart disease. When women ages 40-70 on the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding communities were surveyed recently, we learned that 83 percent were at-risk for a first heart attack. But only 29 percent actually thought they were at-risk.

Why the Disconnect?

Maybe they didn’t recognize the risk factors-high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity, obesity, smoking, or a family history of heart attacks or heart disease-as potential precursors of heart disease.

Perhaps they were unaware that the warning signs of a heart attack include not only the traditionally male symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and pain in the arm, but also unexplained fatigue, sweating, dizziness, nausea, or a sense of impending doom.

And finally, maybe information about heart disease wasn’t forthcoming from their primary care doctor, the person from whom 60 percent of the women in the study said they would seek such education.

Learn about your personal risk today. If you’re a woman and you haven’t talked with your doctor about your risk for heart disease, it’s time to do that now. We also encourage you to call Community Hospital ’s Women’s HeartAdvantage hotline for more information or to speak with a Community Hospital wellness nurse about your risks. The Women’s HeartAdvantage hotline is ( 831)-655-LIFE (5433).