Since its founding in 1986, Reston Hospital Center -- a 187-bed, acute-care medical and surgical facility situated in Reston’s vibrant Town Center – has consistently served the Northern Virginia area with compassion, care and the newest medical technologies. Always highly attuned to the comfort and needs of its community, RHC blends the convenience of all private rooms, valet parking and an accessible suburban location with the personal assurance that only the most skilled and best trained medical and support staff can offer. Above all else, Reston Hospital Center is in constant pursuit of its mission: A Passion for Excellence. Compassion for You.

Men traditionally receive much more attention than women when it comes to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.  So much so that one might believe that women are not as susceptible to heart disease—and this just isn’t true.  While men may have more heart attacks then women, women are more likely to die from a heart attack and women are just as likely to develop heart disease. 

Heart disease, or coronary artery disease, is the leading cause of death in women.  In fact, women are 10 times as likely to die of heart disease as to die of breast and all other cancers combined.  Heart disease is defined as the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries—the blood vessels that supply the heart itself.   These blockages can lead to a number of serious events including heart attacks, stroke and sudden cardiac death.  It’s important to know the symptoms and the risks of heart disease and talk to your physician if you’re concerned you might have coronary artery disease.
 
Women don’t normally experience the same heart disease symptoms as men.  While men often describe a crushing feeling in their chest as the primary indicator of heart attack, women do not usually show this symptom at all.  Women’s symptoms are subtler and can sometimes be tricky to identify. 

Women’s Heart Attack Symptoms
• Feeling of fullness in the chest
• Neck, shoulder, or upper back discomfort
• Jaw pain
• Sweating
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Unusual fatigue
• Nausea or vomiting

In addition to differing symptoms of heart disease, women also face additional risk factors. There are some risk factors which are unavoidable: Genetics (our likelihood of heart disease increases dramatically if an immediate family member developed heart disease at an early age), hormonal factors (the onset of menopause, which in addition to altering a woman’s hormones and increasing the likelihood of blood clots can also bring weight gain and raise cholesterol and blood pressure).
 
Smoking poses the greatest risk for the development of heart disease.  Women who smoke are 60% more likely to develop heart disease and 200-400% more likely to die of sudden cardiac death.  Deciding not to smoke, or quitting smoking, will have a great impact on your cardiovascular health. 

The second greatest risk factor for heart disease is obesity and the risk factors caused by obesity—high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.  Eating a well balanced diet and including cardiovascular exercise in our daily routines is a way to beat obesity and the unfortunate risks that come with it.  There is no “goal” weight, but keeping your Body Mass Index (BMI) below 24 is ideal; BMIs above 25 are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.  Some of these risks are genetic—like high cholesterol—but today there are medications, that when taken along with lifestyle changes, can help fight those risks. 

One risk factor that effect women much differently than men is our emotional health.  Mental stress and depression take a much greater toll on a woman’s heart than a man’s.  Depression is twice as common in women as men, and it increases the risk of heart disease by two to three times compared to those that aren’t depressed.  Physicians and scientists are still studying the link between depression and heart attack, and why stress and depression have a greater impact on females than males. 

Interested in learning more about heart disease and other issues important to women’s health? Go to restonhospital.com to learn more.

Digital mammography provides physicians with better images and allows for a more accurate detection and diagnosis of breast cancer.  The earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chance for beating cancer.
 
Why is digital mammography so much more effective?  Superior-resolution imaging technology provides the fastest and most accurate exams.  Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) assists radiologists (physicians) in detecting malignancies during mammogram screenings.  Not only are the exams faster, but the wait time is less as well.  Digital images mean less time waiting for film to develop to determine if an image is viable, this decision can now be made instantaneously.
 
The Women’s Imaging Center was one of the first in the region to go completely digital.  There women enjoy a spa-like atmosphere, plush terry-cloth robes and gourmet coffee, but what really makes our patients happy is knowing that their mammograms will be completed using the most technologically advanced system available.  In addition to digital mammography, the Women’s Imaging Center also offers breast MRI, ultrasound, including 4-D ultrasound, DEXA-scan bone scanning technology and stereotactic breast biopsy. 

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that all women have a baseline mammogram by age 40 to provide physicians with a basis for future comparison. Women with a family history of breast cancer are encouraged to have this baseline mammogram earlier-usually by age 35. Through age 50, the ACS recommends a mammogram at least every two years for most women. Again, if you have a family history of breast cancer, you may need annual check-ups. After age 50, all women should have a mammogram as a standard part of their yearly physical examination. 

To learn more about the Women’s Imaging Center Click here.

To make an appointment today call 703-689-9005 or call 1-877-689-DOCS for a physician referral.

From the occasional upset stomach to the more life-threatening colorectal cancer, each year millions of Americans are diagnosed with gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. The GI system is an extensive network of tubes and specialized organs that digest food, bring nutrients to the body and dispose of waste. It is one of the most complex organ systems of the body, and because of that complexity, and the foreign matter that we introduce to it each day when we eat, the GI system is highly susceptible to problems. Nearly 95 million people are affected by digestive problems, prompting around 35 million physician visits each year. 

Most digestive diseases are very complex, with subtle symptoms, and the causes of many remain unknown. Reaching a diagnosis requires a thorough and accurate medical history and physical examination. Some patients may need to undergo more extensive diagnostic evaluations, including lab tests, endoscopic procedures, and imaging techniques. Many physician specialties are involved with the diagnosis and treatment of GI disorders, including internal medicine, gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, general surgeons and radiologists. In cases where gastrointestinal cancers are involved, this physician base gets even larger to include the entire Cancer Care team. Reston Hospital Center is proud to bring Northern Virginian’s all of these physician specialties through its Comprehensive GI Center. This center brings patients not only a range of board-certified physicians, but also the most advanced testing and treatment options available.  To learn more about The Comprehensive GI Center click here.

Reston Hospital Center’s new Consult-A-Nurse® service makes it easier for patients to find a physician and to talk to a nurse for health information.  The service is free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be accessed by calling 1-877-689-DOCS (3637).
 
While most hospitals in the region provide physician referral services, Reston Hospital Center stands out as the only hospital to have a team of registered nurses on-call 24 hours a day to answer healthcare questions and help people determine which kind of specialist would best fit their needs. 

“We’re excited to provide a service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and allows callers to talk to a nurse at no charge about their or their family’s health questions,”  said Reston Hospital Center CEO, Bill Adams. “This will be especially helpful, for example, to the mom whose child wakes up on Saturday morning not feeling well and the pediatrician’s office is closed.  We will be able to provide information and a list of recommended resources for better health.”

Adams adds, “Reston Hospital Center is more than a hospital where patients come for surgery, to have a baby, or to receive outpatient or emergency care.  Consult-A-Nurse® allows us to be a partner in our community’s preventive care as well.”

Consult-A-Nurse® is available by calling 1-877-689-DOCS.