The nationwide study through Yale seeks to find out what contributes to premature heart disease in women.
TRAVERSE CITY -- For Bev Godziebieski of Kingsley in Grand Traverse County, it was a heart attack last June that changed her life.
"It was lower back pain, it was shoulder pain, neck pain and my jaw...I do have muscular pain in my shoulders and back, so I wasn't quite sure," says Godziebieski
Godziebieski was sure though that something was happening to her.
"That's when I decided something is just not right here. I need to go in and see what's wrong and hoping it was nothing, I had a heart attack," says Godziebieski
Godziebieski, who was 51, was pro-active, she noticed the signs and took action...but her mom didn't have the same outcome several years ago.
"She was 48. She went into the hospital, the emergency room. She was complaining of chest pains and they did an EKG on her and it didn't show any signs on the EKG, so they sent her home...two days later she passed away," says Godziebieski
Now Godziebieski is asking all women to listen to their bodies and pay attention to symptoms of a possible heart attack. She's also taking part in nationwide research through Yale at Munson, called the VIRGO.
"It is looking at an old problem but hopefully in a new way. We're going to get a sense of why some people who don't seem to have some of the traditional risk factors for heart disease still end up showing up with heart attacks," says Munson cardiologist, James Fox, M.D.
Dr. Fox, is also the VIRGO study's principal investigator. The study looks at how women and men's bodies are different when it comes to heart attacks, and the factors that contribute to premature heart disease, specifically women under the age of menopause.
"What we're trying to do is figure out is there something different either about the type of heart attack they have or is there something different about a certain group of people, they they're more prone to that sort of problem," says Dr. Fox.
So, how does it all work?
"It's very simple to have blood drawn. Now they're take it and do a study on it, maybe find out if there's a genetic link to having a heart attack at such a young age," says Godziebieski.
"It would be really beneficial if we could figure out if there is some identifiable factor or process that we can tease at who is at risk for having heart disease," says Dr. Fox.
It's a simple test with a major goal in mind. Godziebieski says she hopes it sheds light on heart disease for future generations.
"My mom was 48 and I'm 51. I have a daughter who is 27, so it'll be interesting to find out if there is, they find something, that she's aware of it....It's education women everywhere to help. It's not intrusive, just a blood sample but you're getting the word out and I think that's important for women to do that," says Godziebieski
The VIRGO study started enrolling two-thousand women and one-thousand men around the nation in august 2008. Munson has the largest enrollment of VIRGO study participants.
The study uses the acronym VIRGO for "Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients."
For more information about the study or signs and symptoms of heart disease check out Munson Medical Center's website: http://www.munsonhealthcare.org/clinical_svcs/heart_services/cardiovascular.php
