February is Heart Month

February is Heart Month

Throughout February there will be activities focused on learning more about heart health and inspiring others to do the same. See below for important dates, check the Today@UTSW newsletter each day for updates, and come back to this website every Friday for a weekly recap.


In Case You Missed It: Heart Month Recaps

Wear Red Day Feb. 4, 2022

Week of Feb. 1

Week of Feb. 7

  • Cardiologist Sharon Reimold, M.D., answers questions patients are often reluctant to ask regarding what their hearts and minds can handle following a heart attack.
  • Meet interventional cardiologist Weiyi Tan, M.D., M.P.H., whose work focuses on the transition from adolescent to adult care for patients born with congenital heart disease.
  • After 13 years as an ICU nurse, Pamela Soyebo, M.S.N., knew that becoming an ACHD advanced practice provider would enable her to provide lifelong care for her patients. (Video)
  • Amit Khera, M.D., recaps a panel discussion that he moderated on the distinction between primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) during #AHA21. 

Week of Feb. 14

  • In late 2021, Dr. Mark Drazner began his tenure as President of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA). Find out what his goals are and how he will bring his personal touch to this amazing organization.
  • Cardiac rehabilitation is an indispensable component of the road to recovery after many cardiac events. Our program is designed to help individuals with cardiovascular disease actively participate in their own healing and recovery.
  • Meet Dr. Maryjane Farr, our new Section Chief of Heart Failure, VAD, and Transplant, and learn what brought her to UTSW.
  • Catch a glimpse into the future through the eyes of one of our Cardiology fellows, Dr. Sarah Godfrey.
  • In case you missed it: Dr. Parag Joshi shared how to maintain a healthy heart as well as providing insight into current research on preventing heart attacks and strokes during a Heart Month-focused Science Café.
  • Discover how the patient provider relationship was optimized in a complex case of peripartum cardiomyopathy on HFSA’s podcast, featuring Dr. Mark Drazner.

Week of Feb. 21

  • Learn how “diabetes drugs” have become valuable tools in treating heart failure.
  • Review new research, led by Parag Joshi, M.D., indicating a direct tie between elevated heart attack risk and dual diagnoses of high coronary artery calcium and lipoprotein(a) cholesterol.
  • Get acquainted with Cleveland “Cleve” Francis, M.D., a renowned cardiologist and Billboard-charting country music artist interviewed by Quinn Capers, M.D., in a recent episode of People to Know.
  • Take a look at a nationwide study of patients monitoring blood pressure at home indicating that blood pressure rose during the beginning of the pandemic – a phenomenon experts suspect occurred among the general population as well.
  • Meet Melanie Thomas, M.S.N., FNP-C, the Lead Non-Physician Provider for the Ventricular Assist Device Program working with a team seeking new ways to keep failing hearts pumping for years to come.
  • Get to know Carmen Sandlin, a cardiology patient navigator putting her heart into taking care of yours.