Women’s Heart Health Clinic

The Women’s Heart Health Clinic is a specialized outpatient cardiac clinic for the care of women with specific heart conditions that are either unique to, or more common in women.

Referral criteria

The clinic focuses on women with the following four conditions: 

1. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)
2. Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA)
3. Ischemia or angina with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA or ANOCA)
4. Coronary vasospasm

What to expect

Clinic staff provide:

• Medical assessment and follow-up
• Personalized testing and treatment to best meet patients’ needs
• Assistance with managing lifestyle and medication therapies
• Ongoing patient and family education about medical conditions, diet and lifestyle, and chronic disease management
• Ongoing support through follow-up visits and telephone monitoring when necessary

Heart disease is under studied, under diagnosed, and under treated in women. Although most women report central chest pain during a cardiac event, they may describe it differently. Understanding your symptoms and risk factors can make a great impact on how to manage a heart-related condition.

Referrals

Family physicians and other specialists may refer patients to the clinic by completing the referral through Ocean Healthmap. Search for “Women’s Heart Health Clinic,” then choose the clinic at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Patient resources

At the University of Ottawa Heart Institute

• Coming for a clinic appointment
• Women’s Heart Health Patient Education Sessions (Webinar)
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• A Guide to Your MINOCA - A guide for patients and caregivers
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) patient guide (PDF)
• Women’s heart health patient guide (PDF)