About this episode
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women—yet it's still treated like a man’s disease. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Martha Gulati, a cardiologist and pioneer in women’s cardiovascular health, exposes the systemic gaps that leave women underdiagnosed, undertreated, and often unheard. Together, we unpack the critical differences in how heart disease presents in women, why standard diagnostic tools fall short, and what every woman needs to know about risk factors like pregnancy complications, hormone therapy, statin use, and even environmental exposures. Dr. Gulati also reveals the truth behind hormone therapy myths, explains how soft plaque really forms, and why fitness should be considered frontline prevention. You’ll learn: Why women’s heart symptoms are often mistaken for anxiety What tests to ask for to asses your risk of heart disease How statins, hormone therapy, and fitness interact with risk What the new “Prevent" risk score includes—and why it matters Why women get more benefits from exercise than men How pollution, stress, and pregnancy complications shape long-term risk Whether you’re in your 20s or postmenopausal, this episode will empower you to take charge of your heart health, ask better questions, and get the care you deserve. Who is Dr. Martha Gulati? Dr. Martha Gulati is a professor of cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, where she serves as Director of Prevention and Associate Director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center. She is the immediate past president of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology and previously served as the inaugural Chief of Cardiology at the University of Arizona. A leading voice in women’s heart health, Dr. Gulati chaired the first national chest pain guidelines and is the author of the best-selling book Saving Women’s Hearts . This episode is brought to you by: Manukora - Get $25 off the starter kit – https://manukora.com/DRLYON ARMRA – Code DRLYON for 15% off your first order – https://tryarmra.com/DRLYON Masa Chips - Code LYON for 25% off your first order – https://masachips.com/LYON Our Place – Code DRLYON for 10% off sitewide – https://fromourplace.com/DRLYON Find Dr. Martha Gulati At: Website - https://drmarthagulati.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-gulati-9b410496/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drmarthagulati/ X/Twitter - https://x.com/drmarthagulati Cedars-Sinai - https://www.cedars-sinai.org/provider/martha-gulati-2036029.html Her book Saving Women's Hearts: https://www.amazon.ca/Saving-Womens-Hearts-Conventional-Strategies/dp/0470678453 Find Me At: Instagram: @drgabriellelyon TikTok: @drgabriellelyon Facebook: facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyon YouTube: youtube.com/@DrGabrielleLyon X (Twitter): x.com/drgabriellelyon Apply to become a patient – https://drgabriellelyon.com/new-patient-inquiry/ Join my weekly newsletter – https://institute-for-muscle-centric-medicine.ck.page Get my book – https://drgabriellelyon.com/forever-strong/ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro and framing the crisis of heart disease in women 01:27 – Why women’s heart attack symptoms are often missed 04:28 – Why breast cancer awareness eclipsed heart disease awareness 07:01 – The legacy of excluding women from clinical trials 10:35 – The Women's Health Initiative and its impact on heart disease mortality 20:26 – The 3 key blood markers to assess heart disease risk in women 26:29 – Hormone replacement therapy: What went wrong 30:05 – Mythbusting: HRT does not replace statins 41:02 – Soft plaque vs. calcified plaque: what really matters 51:59 – Statins and brain health: separating fact from fiction 56:01 – INOCA: When women have symptoms without artery blockages 1:11:47 – Why “220 minus age” is inaccurate for women’s heart rate training 1:33:11 – Men’s vs. women’s hearts: anatomical and physiological differences Disclaimer: The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.