Esophageal cancer care for Tennessee man
April 24, 2026
Middle Tennessee resident Roy Zacharias found life-saving care for Stage 3 esophageal cancer from Dr. John Lazar at Ascension Saint Thomas West in Nashville.
Women’s cardiology
Ascension Saint Thomas Heart in Middle Tennessee specializes in heart care for women at risk or with cardiovascular disease.
Women's heart health in Middle Tennessee
Ascension Saint Thomas Heart in Middle Tennessee specializes in heart care for women at risk or with cardiovascular disease.
Why choose us
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.
Women's heart program
Dr. Nishtha Sareen and the team at Ascension Saint Thomas specialize in diagnosing and treating women with heart disease.
Heart disease risk factors for women
Common risk factors for heart disease in women include:
- Angina or equivalent
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Heart attack
- Concern for MVD dysfunction
- Unexplained chest pain
- Heart failure or pulmonary hypertension
- Diabetes
- Family history of heart conditions and events
- Cardiac symptoms during pregnancy
- Pregnancy-related cardiac concerns and history
- Takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy
- Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
- Smoking
- BAC on routine mammogram
- Cardiotoxic chemotherapy
Heart conditions we treat in women
Our specialists evaluate and manage cardiovascular heart conditions in women across their lifespan, including:
- Aortic disease (aneurysm, dissection, aortopathy)
- Autoimmune disease
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD)
- Diabetes-related cardiovascular disease, including gestational diabetes
- Hypercholesterolemia/dyslipidemia
- Hypertension (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy)
- Heart valve disease (valvular heart disease)
- Microvascular angina and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), including chest pain with non-obstructive coronary arteries
- Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
- Gender-specific cardiovascular risk stratification in women, including recognition and management of breast arterial calcification
- We also care for reproductive and pregnancy-associated cardiovascular and hypertensive conditions, including:
- POI
- PCOS
- Cardiovascular disease
- Preeclampsia
- Eclampsia
How we manage heart risk factors
Since heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, we focus on heart care prevention. Your doctor will create a care plan that helps manage your risk factors. This may include lifestyle changes, medications, and lowering high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Your care team provides blood pressure monitoring to help you better understand your heart health and reduce the risk of severe conditions like heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. Whether you're being screened for high blood pressure (hypertension) or managing an existing condition, regular monitoring can keep you healthy. Your heart specialist may recommend doctor visit checks, home blood pressure monitoring or 24-hour blood pressure monitoring.
A blood test is a lab analysis of things that may be found in your blood. You may have blood tests to keep track of how well you are managing a condition, such as diabetes or high cholesterol. You may also have them for routine checkups or when you are ill.
A simple lipid blood test can give your cardiologist important information about your cholesterol levels to personalize your care plan to prevent heart attack, stroke and other heart conditions. A cholesterol test, also called a lipid panel, measures the levels of different types of fats in your blood, including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
This minimally invasive procedure helps our cardiologists accurately diagnose heart conditions by evaluating how well your heart and blood vessels are working. A catheter is gently inserted into a blood vessel through the wrist or groin and guided to your heart’s chambers. A contrast dye is injected through the catheter to help capture images of your heart. This procedure helps your care team measure blood flow, check for blockages in the coronary arteries, evaluate heart valve function and determine how well your heart is pumping.
Our cardiology team uses advanced diagnostic tools and expertise to accurately identify a wide range of cardiac issues, ensuring you receive the right care as early as possible.
Our cardiology team uses advanced diagnostic tools and expertise to accurately identify a wide range of cardiac issues, ensuring you receive the right care as early as possible.
Our electrophysiology (EP) team performs advanced EP studies to diagnose the source and type of arrhythmias accurately. Using specialized catheters and real-time mapping, we evaluate your heart's electrical activity to guide the best treatment plan for your heart condition.
This is also called a treadmill or exercise ECG. This test is done to monitor the heart while you walk on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike. Your doctor also monitors your breathing and blood pressure. A stress test may be used to detect coronary artery disease, or to determine safe levels of exercise after a heart attack or heart surgery. This test can also be done using special medicines that stress the heart in a similar manner as exercise does. Sometimes a stress test will collect ECG information along with heart ultrasound pictures. This is called an exercise or stress echocardiogram (echo). It's more sensitive and specific than ECG stress testing alone.
How we prevent and treat heart disease in women
Our preventive cardiology programs focus on identifying and managing risk factors before heart problems develop. We deliver personalized care plans that include heart-healthy lifestyle guidance, advanced screenings and support. Our goal is to help you stay ahead of heart disease.
If you have been diagnosed with heart disease, we are here to support you. Your doctor works with you to create a personalized care plan. Heart disease may be managed with lifestyle changes, medication or a heart procedure.
Britain's story
A patient shares her heart care journey and healing at Ascension Saint Thomas.
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.
How to get care
This program offers a unique approach to prevention and treatment, beginning with a comprehensive risk assessment for all new patients. For more information, or to schedule an appointment with one of our women’s heart specialists, call 615-284-4HER (4437).
Meet our women’s heart team and 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
- Amber Edwards, MD - Cardiac Surgery
- Hannah Fish-Trotter, MD - Cardio-obstetrics
- Jessica Huston, MD - Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant
- Drew Pickett, MD - Electrophysiology
- Lisa Bellin, MD - Breast Surgery
- Russ Clendenin, MD - OB-GYN
- Georgia Ferrell, MD - OB-GYN
- Connie Graves, MD - Medical Director, Maternal and Fetal Medicine
- Rachel Mehr, MD - Primary Care
- Colleen Vanderkolk, MD - Neurology
- Zachary Grambos, MD - Emergency Medicine
- Dana Bonaminio, MD - Radiology
- Joseph Sharpe, MD - Psychiatry
- Resa Herndon, MS, RD, LDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
- Teresa Jackson, NP
Get a second opinion from a heart specialist
Gain the confidence and peace of mind that your doctor and cardiovascular care plan are right for you. At the Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Women’s Program, we will review your medical records and healthcare history to answer your questions and develop a personalized heart care plan.
Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records on your behalf, so that they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.
Refer your patient to Ascension Saint Thomas Heart
Your patients can expect compassionate, personalized care from the moment our specialists connect with them. Our women’s heart specialists start by listening to fully understand your patient’s needs and to develop an individualized care plan.
To make a doctor referral, please call 615-284-2025.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or call 911.
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