Many people are familiar with the most common signs to look for when having a heart attack – shortness of breath, pain in the limbs, and feeling like there’s an elephant sitting on your chest. But did you know women often have completely different symptoms than men when it comes to identifying poor heart health? 

Dr. Alaeddin Ayyad has joined Dignity Health Medical Group – North State in the Redding office as an Interventional Cardiologist. “Being an interventional cardiologist allows me to treat patients with medication, diagnosing cardiac issues, from chest pain to arrhythmias and even heart failure. We can also use methods such as catheterization, stenting and more. We’re even starting to think about doing valve procedures without having to open the chest,” said Dr. Ayyad.

February is American Heart Month and a great time to learn about cardiovascular health.  Dr. Mary Larson, a cardiologist with Dignity Health Medical Group - Sequoia, has answered five common questions related to heart disease.