By: John J. Kelly III, M.D., F.A.C.C.

The American Heart Association has initiated an outreach campaign to make women aware of the major threat to their health and well-being. Many women are not aware that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States. This includes coronary heart disease and stroke. Every year since 1984, the number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease in women has exceeded in number in men by approximately 50,000. Heart disease kills as many as eight times more women than breast cancer.

The Go Red For Women Campaign has as its symbol a red dress. This national symbol is intended as a visual cue to help women understand the threat of heart disease. The hope is to emphasize the need to take care of people’s inner selves as well as their external selves. The program also seeks to raise awareness among physicians regarding the need to take steps to prevent cardiovascular disease in women. New evidence-based guidelines have been developed for cardiovascular disease prevention in women. These guidelines represent a collaborative national effort to develop the first set of evidence-based guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in women. These guidelines help identify the relative risks of an individual developing cardiovascular disease. They also include evidence-based clinical recommendations for modifying these risk factors. It is important to raise the awareness of cardiovascular prevention. Appropriate steps can avoid significant health problems. Many of the risk factors for heart disease are identifiable and modifiable.

The modifiable risk factors for heart disease include smoking. This is a simple and obvious recommendation and an absolute mandatory first step to good heart and general health. Maintaining an ideal body weight is also desirable as is following a heart-healthy diet. Regular aerobic exercise is helpful not only for heart disease but for preventing other problems such as osteoporosis. Daily doses of aspirin in a dose ranging from 81 to 325 mg a day is probably reasonable in women over the age of 50. Women should work with their primary care physicians to be screened for hypertension and hypertension should be treated aggressively if it exists. Lipid levels should be periodically monitored. Women, as well as men, should “know their number.” Screening for diabetes is also recommended.

Heart disease is a major threat to women’s health. Women need to be aware of this and take appropriate steps to minimize their risk for ultimately developing heart disease. Remember the red dress and Go Red for Women.

Cardiology Physicians, P.A.
Abby Medical Center
One Centurian Drive
Suite 200
Newark, DE 19713
302.366.8600

1401 Foulk Road
Suite 201
Foulkstone Plaza
Wilmington, DE
302.478.5055
www.cardiocppa.com

JOHN J. KELLY III, M.D., F.A.C.C.

Dr. Kelly has been a member of Cardiology Physicians since 1996. Dr. Kelly grew up nearby the Wilmington area in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He attended Garnet Valley High School. His family belonged to the Graylyn Crest Swim Club in Northern Wilmington. Dr. Kelly obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College and attended Jefferson Medical College. His post graduate training began with a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He served as Chief Medical Resident there. His Cardiology Fellowship was at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston Texas. Dr. Kelly’s recognitions include AOA membership, being named Intern of the Year at University of Illinois and being named Chief Cardiology Fellow at the Texas Heart Institute. He was an Attending Physician at the Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. He received a Teaching Award from the residents at Christ Hospital. He was then an attending physician at Paoli Memorial Hospital and Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania before joining Cardiology Physicians in 1996. Dr. Kelly is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and is board certified both in Internal Medicine in the subspecialty of cardiovascular disease. He has additional board certification in interventional cardiology.

Dr. Kelly has a strong commitment to consultative cardiology and has been in practice since 1991. Dr. Kelly has additional areas of interest including echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, stress echocardiography, diagnostic catheterization and catheter based treatment of heart disease. He also has an interest in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. Dr. Kelly is the Medical Director for Cardiology Education at Christiana Care Hospital.

Dr. Kelly and his wife Janice were married in 1989. Dr. Kelly and Janice are the proud parents of Jay and Brooke. Dr. Kelly’s free time is spent enjoying family activities. He spends as much time as possible on the sidelines watching his children compete in various athletic contests. He enjoys chipping in with coaching when able. He tries, without much success, to play golf.