Dr. Stephanie Grosz: Take HEart

Dr. Stephanie Grosz is a woman after our own hearts. A well-known clinical cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist in Mobile, the Access team is always mesmerized by her wit, cool demeanor, and intelligence. Knowing health is often at the bottom of the list for busy women, especially as they age, we call her in to share what we all need to know now. From the difference between male and female organs to the symptoms you may be missing, she gets to the heart of the matter. And, then, of course, there’s her fashion.

By Hayley Hill Photos Stevye Photography, StevyePhotography.com Makeup Courtney Matthews Makeup Artistry, Cocokat1978@gmail.com

Considering couture her creative outlet, Dr. Grosz is as up to date on the latest collections rolling out of Paris and Milan as she is on heart health. Fluent in Dior, Prada, and Louis Vuitton, our squeals of delight can be heard miles away as she unpacks at our recent photoshoot. Ready for the hard facts on the things we love like caffeine and cosmopolitans, we land on the sunniest yellow suit ever made and get down to business.

Proving to be even more passionate about heart health than couture, especially when it comes to women, she has us on the edge of our seats as she shares facts like the average human heart beats about 100,000 times a day and is connected to about 60,000 miles of blood vessels. And go figure, women’s hearts beat about eight beats per minute faster than our male counterparts.

Why is this important? “Heart disease is the number one killer of women and accounts for about 1 in 5 female deaths in the US. About 1 in 16 women over age 20 have coronary artery disease and risks increase with menopause,” she shares. Clearly, a bit of awareness is in order.

For starters, Dr. Grosz declares, “Women have typically been underrepresented in studies evaluating treatments. While slowly improving, a woman is not a small man and should not be treated and evaluated as such. For example, women’s heart attack symptoms tend to be atypical, making evaluations more difficult. While the common crushing chest pain occurs in both sexes, women also present with simpler symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, lightheadedness, and neck or back discomfort. They can also experience chest pain at rest and during emotional stress. Due to denial or their role as caretakers, women tend to seek medical attention later than men, too.”

And, it doesn’t stop there. “Men develop coronary artery disease earlier than women because of the protective effects of the female hormone, estrogen, which takes 8–10 years to equalize post-menopause. Our smaller vessels present several risk factors that affect us disproportionately. For example, pregnancy and the development of pregnancy-induced hypertension and eclampsia or pre-eclampsia increases long-term risk as does diabetes during pregnancy. Also, inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, have a higher incidence in women and increase the risk of heart disease. Smoking and diabetes are risk factors for both sexes, but may affect women’s hearts more. Emotional stress may affect more women, too. For instance, Takasubo’s cardiomyopathy mimics a heart attack in post-menopausal women soon after exposure to sudden emotional stress.” The takeaway? We must rethink our outdated notions.

We’re curious about the Southern connection to higher rates of cardiac issues, and Dr. Grosz explains, “There’s a higher concentration of heart issues in the South for various reasons. CDC data from a five-year period showed the national death rate from heart disease (heart attack, stroke, hypertension, coronary artery disease) was 153/100,000 persons. In Mississippi, which leads the US in heart disease mortality, the death rate was 301 per 100,000. Alabama was second with a death rate of 291 per 100,000! Reasons for this disparity include a higher number of people living below the poverty line. In the counties with the highest mortality, 20% lived in poverty and there are inferred differences in education and the understanding of disease risk factors. Also, there’s significant disparity in access to medical care, meaning there is no access to cardiovascular care, no hospital, and prolonged times to emergency care in the instance of a stroke or heart attack.”

Since she’s one of us, Dr. Grosz knows how women tick and has a compassionate approach to heart health. “I do my best to eat healthy and maintain my weight, I don’t smoke, and I try to exercise as much as time permits. While seemingly simple, a little goes a long way over time. For example, I try to find ways to walk at work by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I also try to get a good night’s sleep and that means limiting my beloved caffeine. I also limit alcohol, trust me, the less you drink, the less you tolerate. These goals are not always achieved, but they are goals. If it doesn’t happen, keep trying. The best thing to do is accept yourself, minimize unnecessary stressors, and strive to be healthy, not perfect,” she states. FYI, life hack, she has yoga mats in the trunk of her car for when the opportunity knocks.

Not wanting to add stress, Dr. Grosz wants us all to know everyone has some risk factors. Know yours. “The risk factors for heart disease continue to be diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, physical inactivity, high cholesterol, family history of heart disease, an unhealthy diet, and alcohol. And don’t vape! It’s just as bad as smoking no matter what anyone tells you. Visit your doctor and make sure your blood pressure, cholesterol, renal function and blood work are normal as you age. Treat blood pressure and cholesterol aggressively if elevated.”

Understanding many women aren’t aware of the symptoms or when they should ask to see a heart specialist, Dr. Grosz shares, “There are both emergent, in the process of becoming prominent, and non-emergent reasons to see a heart specialist. Anyone with chest pain and radiating upper body pain should get help immediately. Other non-emergent reasons to see a heart specialist would be palpitations, shortness of breath, unexplained exertional intolerance or swelling in the body. It’s our job to evaluate and take care of you. Many women deem their problem insignificant and put off being seen until their problem is more serious. It’s better to be told all is good than wait too long.”

Her group, RGG Cardiology, offers the full range of cardiology care. From the more invasive arrhythmia treatment to interventional cardiology procedures with cardiac stents and more, their office also provides the range of non-invasive testing for outpatients, too. “I do a wide variety of arrhythmia treatments, including electrical device therapy, ablations for arrhythmias and electrical disorders of the heart, and structural heart disease treatment such as left atrial appendage occlusion therapy. I see clinical cardiology patients and treat a wide variety of cardiac problems in addition to cardiac rhythm disturbances. I also practice noninvasive cardiology with interpretation of ultrasound and nuclear stress testing,” she states.

At the end of the day, the heart is one of the most fascinating and important organs in our bodies. “It even has its own electrical conduction system which causes it to contract and move blood throughout the body,” an excited Dr. Grosz shares. With her heart on her very full and fabulous sleeves, she understands the struggles women face finding time for self-care. Just remember, a little goes a long way. Unless it’s fashion, of course.

RGG Cardiology

600 Providence Park Drive East Mobile, AL 36695 251.634.1544 RGGCardiology.com