Houston Methodist Heart of a Woman Strategies for Treating and Preventing Heart Disease in Women 2026

Heart of a Woman examines cardiovascular prevention and treatment through the specific needs of women across the lifespan. The Houston Methodist program addresses risk assessment, menopause, diabetes, pregnancy-related heart disease, and hypertension, then extends to heart failure, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, arrhythmias, and procedural care. Sessions also explore breast cancer treatment-related cardiac effects, nutrition, obesity, and stress. The hybrid meeting took place on February 6, 2026, at Houston Methodist Research Institute in Houston, Texas. It is relevant to cardiology, primary care, nursing, and allied professionals who want to connect female-specific risk factors with practical choices in cardiovascular management.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation of cardiovascular disease in women.
• Identify the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and how they may be different in women and their lifestyles.
• Review the current treatments for cardiovascular disease and how they may need to be tailored differently.

Karla Kurrelmeyer, Bindu Chebrolu, Valeria Duarte, and Nadeen Faza introduced the program. The original live activity listed 7.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits and 7.25 nursing contact hours; these are not included with store files. The topic list describes educational scope, not independently verified recording coverage.

Topics

• 2026 Updates – Cardiovascular Disease in Women

• Heart of a Woman Ultimate Cardiology Jeopardy Showdown

• Cardio-Oncology – Potential Cardiac Complications Associated with Breast Cancer Chemotherapy

• Beyond BMI – Obesity as a Disease

• Cardiomyopathies Unique to Women

• Discussion on the Mediterranean Diet

• Management of Hypertension During Pregnancy

• Pregnancy and Cardiovascular Disease

• Effects of Stress on Cardiovascular System

• Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cardiovascular Health – Where We’ve Been and Where We Are in 2026

• Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction in Women

• Preventing and Assessing Cardiovascular Disease in Women

• Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus to Minimize Cardiovascular Risk

• Insights into How to Minimize Risk in Women Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

• TAVR Considerations and Outcomes in Women

• Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter Prevention in Women

• Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection and the Non-Obstructive Coronary Artery Syndrome

Faculty

• Karla Kurrelmeyer, MD, FACC, FASE
• Archana Sadhu, MD
• Erin Manning, MD
• Martha Gulati, MD, MS, FACC, FAHA, MASPC, FESC, FSCCT (hon)
• Miguel Quinones, MD, MACC, FASE
• Alpesh Shah, MD, FACC, FSCAI
• Farah Amro, MD
• Valeria Duarte, MD, MPH
• Sarah Khan, MS, RD, LD
• Mahwash Kassi, MD
• Barry Trachtenberg, MD
• Eleonora Avenatti, MD
• Paul Schurmann, MD
• Ross Reul, MD
• Neal Kleiman, MD, FACC, MSCAI
• Bindu Chebrolu, MD