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n Canada, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women, claiming a woman’s life every 16 minutes. Yet, women’s cardiovascular health is under-studied, under- recognized, under-diagnosed, and under- treated. Thankfully, things are changing. Historically, heart health research predominantly involved men, creating a gap in knowledge for women’s cardiovascular health. Now, we are beginning to understand that although women and men develop many of the same cardiovascular diseases, there are important differences in associated risk factors, presentation, disease mechanisms, and outcomes. “Recognizing those differences means that we’re able to more thoughtfully approach a woman with potential cardiovascular disease today than we were previously,” says cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Roopinder Sandhu, who is the director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative and Clinic. This shift comes thanks to those who champion women’s cardiovascular health, like Sandhu, and committed donors, including those who helped establish a new women’s cardiovascular health clinic in Calgary — the first of its kind in Alberta — and acquire a state- of-the-art piece of equipment dedicated to women’s heart health. Moving the needle forward The Harold and Betty Allsopp Women’s Cardiovascular Health Clinic is a pilot project aimed at increasing specialized cardiovascular care for women. The hope is that dedicated spaces like this will become the standard and not the exception. In order for such groundbreaking pilot projects to happen, funding is required. Thanks to donors Harold and Betty Allsopp, the clinic opened in January 2026. “Harold and Betty’s donation reflects a deep belief in the importance of women’s health and the commitment to ensuring future generations of women will have access to the highest quality of cardiovascular care,” says Sandhu, who is the clinic’s director. “It’s a generosity that’s going to be felt by thousands of women and their families for years to come.” Specialized and expedited cardiac care At the clinic, located at the South Health Campus, patients receive care from cardiac experts with an understanding of the latest
Reception area at the Harold and Betty Allsopp Women’s Cardiovascular Health Clinic.
evidence and research in women’s heart health. The centre serves women
“Empowering women to not dismiss their symptoms and to prioritize their health is one of the most important things that we can do.”
with specialized conditions, with a focus on arrhythmias, autonomic dysfunction, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and microvascular disease. “This clinic provides an opportunity to address many of those cardiovascular conditions that disproportionately or more commonly affect women, and it provides them with comprehensive care with access to specialized experts,” says Sandhu. Patients come through referrals from family physicians or community cardiology partners. The clinic has also teamed up with two primary care networks in rural areas and community cardiologists who perform initial assessments and can refer patients if they meet certain criteria, like requiring tests to examine disease of the small vessels of the heart — something that can’t be done on a standard angiogram. By linking rural primary care with cardiology partners, the assessment process is expedited, with women often receiving an assessment within four to six weeks. In the coming year, the clinic’s referral program will expand to urgent care centres, emergency departments and other specialized providers where women may also be at higher
—Dr. Roopinder Sandhu
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Breakthroughs [ Fall 2026 ]
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