Women's heart health in Tennessee

Cardiologists at the Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Women’s Program in Tennessee specialize in heart care for women at risk or with cardiovascular disease.

When you choose Ascension Saint Thomas Heart, you get an experienced women's heart care team delivering comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for women of all ages. The heart doctors at the Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Women’s Program have additional cardiology training in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of women at risk for heart disease.

Meet our women’s heart care champions 

Your care team understands how heart disease is different in women than men. Led by Nishtha Sareen, MD, MPH, the program director for women’s heart health, the team includes a diverse group of specialists dedicated to meeting your unique heart health needs.
  • Nishtha Sareen, MD, MPH - Medical Director, Interventional Cardiology

    Nishtha Sareen, MD, MPH, interventional cardiologist

    Nishtha Sareen, MD, MPH
    Medical Director, Interventional Cardiology 

  • Amber Edwards, MD - Cardiac Surgery

    Amber Edwards, MD
    Cardiac Surgery 

  • Hannah Fish-Trotter, MD - Cardio-obstetrics

    Hannah Fish-Trotter, MD, cardiologist

    Hannah Fish-Trotter, MD
    Cardio-Obstetrics

  • Jessica Huston, MD - Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant

    Nishtha Sareen, MD, MPH, interventional cardiologist

    Jessica Huston, MD
    Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant

  • Drew Pickett, MD - Electrophysiology

    Drew Pickett, MD, cardiac electrophysiologist

    Drew Pickett, MD
    Cardiac Electrophysiologist

  • Lisa Bellin, MD - Breast Surgery

    Nishtha Sareen, MD, MPH, interventional cardiologist

    Lisa Bellin, MD
    Breast Surgery

  • Dana Bonaminio, MD - Radiology
  • Russ Clendenin, MD - OB-GYN
  • Georgia Ferrell, MD - OBGYN
  • Connie Graves, MD - Medical Director, Maternal and Fetal Medicine

    Connie Graves, MD - Medical Director, Maternal and Fetal Medicine

    Connie Graves, MD
    Medical Director, Maternal and Fetal Medicine

  • Zachary Grambos, MD - Emergency Medicine

    Zachary Grambos, MD - Emergency Medicine

    Zachary Grambos, MD
    Emergency Medicine

  • Rachel Mehr, MD - Primary Care

    Rachel Mehr, MD, primary care

    Rachel Mehr, MD
    Primary care

  • Joseph Sharpe, MD - Psychiatry

    Joseph Sharpe, MD - Psychiatry

    Joseph Sharpe, MD
    Psychiatry

  • Colleen Vanderkolk, MD - Neurology

Women's Heart Program

Dr. Nishtha Sareen and the team at Ascension Saint Thomas specialize in diagnosing and treating women with heart disease.

Helping prevent heart disease in women

Get started by having a conversation with your doctor about your health concerns, family history of heart disease and stroke. We’ll also talk about other risk factors for heart disease, including smoking, lack of physical activity, stress and depression. Our doctors specialize in diagnosing many conditions, including pregnancy-related cardiac symptoms. Then, your doctor works with you to create a care plan that is personalized for you. 

Women’s heart disease care

Our specialists diagnose and treat a wide variety of heart-related conditions, including

  • Aortic disease, conditions affecting the largest artery
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Chest pain without a clear blockage (microvascular dysfunction)
  • Coronary artery disease (CAD)
  • Heart valve disorders
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)
  • How diabetes affects heart health
  • Increasingly high heart rate when standing up (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)

Reproductive and pregnancy-related heart care

We provide specialized heart care related to reproductive health, including:

  • Gynecologic conditions affecting heart risk such as premature menopause (POI) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
  • Heart conditions before, during, and after pregnancy
  • Gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia

Cardiac diagnostic testing 

Your heart care team uses specialized tests, advanced coronary imaging and minimally invasive coronary interventions to diagnose heart disease prevalent in women. Testing may include:

  • Cardiac MRI
  • Coronary angiography
  • Coronary artery calcium scan
  • Echocardiogram (ECHO)
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG)
  • Exercise stress test
  • Specialty blood testing for hereditary cardiovascular disease

Schedule an appointment, call 615-284-4HER (4437)

Video Gallery: Heart Health Conversations for Women

At Ascension Saint Thomas Heart, we're here to support you every step of the way on your health journey. Watch these videos to learn more; explore your heart care options, understand your risks, and discover what to expect -- so you can live your healthiest life.

Britain's story

A patient shares her heart care journey and healing at Ascension Saint Thomas.

If you are experiencing chest pain, especially in combination with jaw or arm pain, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting or difficulty breathing, you might be having a heart attack. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.