Special Attention to Children Mercy has more than 20 years of experience in performing heart procedures on children and is the only hospital in central Iowa to offer a specialized pediatric cardiovascular program. After Treatment Mercy offers a special program for patients recovering from the effects of heart disease. Counseling by our experienced and compassionate rehabilitation staff to help patients cope with changes and resume a normal lifestyle. Women and Heart Disease Women are equally at risk for heart disease. Heart disease is the number one killer of women.
Most women are.
In fact, in 1994, the most recent year that statistics are available, the Iowa Department of Public Health reports heart disease was responsible for the deaths of 4,737 Iowa women. By comparison, all forms of cancer combined killed 3,119 Iowa women. And that is particularly worrisome. However, she adds that women, as a gender, are more likely to have atypical symptoms. Atypical means symptoms that the average woman may not immediately identify with heart problems.