Dr. Nanette Wenger, M.D., M.A.C.C., M.A.C.P., F.A.H.A.
Emory University

Dr. Nanette Wenger can remember clearly why she chose the path of being a doctor of cardiology.

“It was a time in the medical profession where it seemed that almost daily we were discovering new exciting possibilities of understanding the heart and heart disease,” she shared. “I was a medical student and I wanted to be a part of this trailblazing advancement in medicine.”

Now at 83 Dr. Wenger is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the prestigious Emory School of Medicine and a consultant to the Emory Heart and Vascular Center. She also practices at Grady Health in Atlanta in the Cardiac Clinic/Correll Cardiac Center. Recognized as the number one cardiologist in America when it comes to women’s heart health, Dr. Wenger, who has been a part of countless committees and organizations that she has been a part of, has made it her life mission to make sure women’s heart care is at the forefront of not only congress but also her fellow colleagues.

During the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, the heart care model was all based on a man’s heart. At the time heart disease was not considered an issue for women so the testing was exclusively done with men. Since it was a “man’s disease,” it was believed that women would be no different from their male counterparts in terms of conditions, symptoms and the like.

Over her more the 50 years in medicine Dr. Wenger has worked tirelessly toward the understanding of how heart disease affects women. She has written nearly 1,400 articles published in medical magazines such as The New England Journal of Medicine. Thanks to here efforts it is known that heart disease is the number one killer in women in the United States accounting for more the 38 percent of female deaths.

Dr. Wenger is also currently serving on the scientific council for WomenHeart, http://www.womenheart.org/,  a Washington, D.C. based organization whose mission is to improve the health and quality of life of women living with or at risk of heart disease, and to advocate for their benefit. Dr. Wenger has been recognized by the organization for all that she has done for women’s heart health and as tribute to her they have created an event, the Wenger Awards, which celebrates those who are making extraordinary contributions to the field, joining leaders in government, business, industry, advocacy and medicine as we celebrate milestones and honor those who are leading the way to eradicate heart disease as the leading cause of death in women.

Dr. Wenger involvement in “The Embrace of Aging” series will be a major component in our discussion of women’s heart health.