Professor Anna Dominiczak, a world-leading heart researcher, has been recognised as a ‘Woman With Heart’ for her outstanding contribution to helping UK heart patients.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is profiling the work of 10 women who are making a difference to heart patients’ lives in the run-up to International Women’s Day on March 8, 2014.

Now the BHF is encouraging the people of Glasgow to vote for Prof Dominiczak to help determine the nation’s favourite Woman With Heart at www.bhf.org.uk/womenwithheart. Voting closes on March 3.

Prof Dominiczak, who is Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow and Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, leads a large team of scientists and ensures there is a an overall strategy for their collective work to get the very best for heart patients.

She also specialises in helping patients who don't respond to the usual treatments for high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors.

Prof Dominiczak recognises that side-effects can put people off taking vital medicines, so her research includes detecting ways patients will respond to drugs in advance to help minimise side-effects and ensure patients get the benefits they need. She continues to see patients in her clinic each week, as well as carrying out her research in a laboratory.

Prof Dominiczak said: "Treating patients and doing research is a great combination as it keeps me focused on what exactly what I'm here for. That's all the validation I need, though of course it's lovely to be recognised by the BHF in this way too.

"More women are coming up through the ranks in research now. But it has traditionally been more of a man's preserve. I'm glad times are changing. I hope women follow their hearts career-wise, and look after their own heart health too."

Maureen Talbot, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the BHF, said: “Women like Prof Dominiczak make an essential contribution to helping heart patients across the UK, whether they’re young or old, a man or a woman.

“However, many women and girls don’t realise they could be at risk of heart disease, which is why we’re using International Women’s Day to recognise the difference women are making but also to raise awareness of the fact they need to look after their heart health too.”

Heart and circulatory disease is the biggest killer of women in the UK. To help, the BHF has created a dedicated Women’s Room, an online hub full of information and support for women living with heart disease, or those worried about their heart health.

For more information about the Women’s Room visit bhf.org.uk/women

 

 

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Media enquiries: Jenny Legg, British Heart Foundation (BHF) on 020 7554 0186 / leggj@bhf.org.uk or Stuart.Forsyth@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 4831

First published: 24 February 2014