Beverly Hills cardiologist Arash Bereliani, MD, FACC, has released a new book titled 'What About Her Heart' aimed at closing the public awareness gap around female heart attack signs and cardiovascular disease in women. The book, available on Amazon, addresses documented disparities in how women experience cardiac symptoms compared to men, which often lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women in the United States, yet studies consistently show that women are less likely than men to recognize their own cardiac symptoms or receive timely care. Dr. Bereliani, a board-certified cardiologist with the American College of Cardiology, wrote the book to translate clinical realities into accessible language for general readers. The publication arrives as cardiologists and patient advocacy groups intensify calls for public education efforts specifically targeting women, particularly in communities with limited access to specialist care.
The book covers the full spectrum of cardiovascular risk in women, from early warning signs that are frequently overlooked or misattributed, to serious diagnoses such as congestive heart failure that affect women as a distinct patient population. Rather than focusing on the classic chest-clutching, left-arm-pain narrative commonly associated with heart attacks in men, the book examines how women often present with pressure, nausea, jaw discomfort, fatigue, and shortness of breath—symptoms that do not always prompt immediate emergency response.
'What About Her Heart' is structured to serve women seeking to understand their own cardiac risk, as well as their families and caregivers. Dr. Bereliani draws on his clinical experience to explain how hormonal changes across a woman's lifespan—including pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause—interact with cardiovascular health and elevate risk in ways that remain underappreciated in routine medical settings. The book also examines warning signs that research suggests are underreported during emergency presentations, including atypical discomfort patterns that can contribute to delayed treatment. A dedicated section addresses congestive heart failure in women, including differences in disease progression and treatment response compared to men.
'Women account for nearly half of all heart disease deaths in the U.S. each year, yet the majority of cardiovascular research published before 2000 was conducted primarily on male subjects,' said Dr. Bereliani. 'This book exists because a woman sitting in a waiting room or talking to her daughter deserves access to the same level of detail I would give a patient in my office.'
The book is currently available in ebook format on Amazon. Dr. Bereliani, who has practiced interventional and preventive cardiology in Beverly Hills for more than two decades, has contributed to patient education initiatives focused on cardiovascular risk reduction. The release of 'What About Her Heart' extends that work beyond the clinical setting into a format designed for wider public access, aiming to empower women with the knowledge needed to recognize symptoms and seek timely care.
For more information, visit Beverly Hills Institute for Cardiology & Preventive Medicine.
