News Release

January 2, 2015

CONTACT:       Jessica Bagwell, Jessica.Bagwell@ttuhsc.edu

                          (806) 743-2143 Ext. 229

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health will hold a symposium called “Matters of the Heart” from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 5, 2015, at the Ritz-Carlton, Salon A Ballroom, 2121 McKinney Ave. in Dallas. The event is hosted by the institute’s National Advisory Board members of Dallas. The symposium will focus on the specific issues related to women’s heart health and feature enlightening lectures presented by leading experts in gender-based medicine and cardiology, as well as an opening address by former first-lady Laura W. Bush.

“Gender-specific research and study of cardiovascular health is especially important because women are more likely to die from a cardiac event,” said Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. “Furthermore, women can suffer heart attacks without any evidence of blockage in their arteries on a heart angiogram. These findings demonstrate significant differences between men and women and the importance of gender-specific research and education.”

As part of the effort to raise awareness for heart health as it relates to women specifically, the symposium will bring together experts in both cardiology and gender-specific medicine to evaluate concerns, treatment methods and goals for improving the cardiovascular health of all women. Speakers will include:

• O. Wayne Isom, M.D., Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery chairman at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell Medical Center
• Holly S.Andersen, M.D., director of Education and Outreach at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at New York-Presbyterian/Weill-Cornell Medical Center
• Marjorie R.Jenkins, M.D., FACP, regional director and chief scientific officer of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health and expert in gender-specific medicine

Because differences matter, the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health improves the lives of women and girls through research supporting scientific discoveries unique to women’s health and gender differences, education advancing the knowledge of health care professionals through evidence-based resources and outreach connecting with communities for healthier lives.

Contact Angela Knapp Eggers, interim executive director of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, at (806) 414-9941 or Angela.Knapp@ttuhsc.edu to learn more about the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, or visit www.LauraBushInstitute.org.