>> TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEVADA WOMEN ARE LIVING WITH HEART DISEASE AND SEVERAL DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE IT.

WHY IS THAT AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR.

THE PLUS THE LATEST FROM THE LEGISLATURE SONY PICTURES'S POSSIBLE MOVE TO LAS VEGAS.

THAT'S THIS WEEK ON "NEVADA WEEK."

[MUSIC] >> SUPPORT FOR "NEVADA WEEK" IS PROVIDED BY SENATOR WILLIAM H. HERNSTADT.

>> WELCOME TO "NEVADA WEEK."

I'M AMBER RENEE DIXON.

JUST AHEAD, THE ALARMING STORY OF A LOCAL DOCTOR DIAGNOSED WITH HEART DISEASE, WHAT SHE WANTS YOU, THE VIEWER, TO KNOW.

BUT FIRST A CHECK ON NEVADA'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

JACOB SOLIS FROM THE NEVADA INDEPENDENT JOINS US FROM CARSON CITY.

JACOB, WELCOME, PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA POSSIBLY WELCOMING SONY PICTURES TO THE AREA.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

SORT OF A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT WE GOT YESTERDAY, BUT SOME RUMBLINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

SONY PICTURES COULD BE MOVING TO LAS VEGAS, BUT IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN UNDER SORT OF AN EXPANSION OF EXISTING TAX CREDITS.

BUT THE BROAD STROKES HERE ARE THAT WE EXPECT -- MAYBE I SHOULD CAVEAT -- WE DON'T KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A PRESS CONFERENCE LATER TODAY -- BUT IT COULD BE ON THE ORDER OF MULTIBILLION DOLLAR DEAL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER THE COURSE OF 20 YEARS, BUT IT WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE TO NEVADA TAX LAW.

>> OKAY.

SO PRESS CONFERENCE LATER TODAY.

WE ARE TAPING THIS ON THE MORNING OF THURSDAY MAY 11TH.

SO YOU WILL FIND OUT THE PARTICULARS.

YOU MENTIONED NEVADA LAW HAS TO CHANGE FROM WHAT IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT WOULD BE A HISTORIC AMOUNT OF TAX INCENTIVES, CORRECT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THERE WOULD BE TAX CREDITS ATTACHED TO THIS DEAL BUT RIGHT NOW ALL FILM PRODUCTIONS IN NEVADA ARE CAPPED AT $10 MILLION.

AND ANY SINGLE PRODUCTION IS CAPPED AT $6 MILLION.

WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT SCOPE OF THIS PARTICULAR DEAL QUITE YET.

BUT WE DO EXPECT IT TO BE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LARGER THAN THAT.

NORTH OF $100 MILLION PER YEAR, CERTAINLY.

>> WOW.

SO WHAT WOULD THIS MOVE ENTAIL, CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW FACILITY, OR TAKING OVER SOMEWHERE THAT'S ALREADY IN EXISTENCE?

WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD?

>> WE'VE HEARD THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY INVOLVE A NEW FACILITY SOMEWHERE IN LAS VEGAS.

AGAIN, THE DETAILS OF THAT, WE WOULD PROBABLY EXPECT TO KNOW MORE LATER TODAY.

BUT CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE THE INVOLVEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AND THE HOWARD HUGHES COMPANY.

THERE ARE SORT OF BREADCRUMBS THAT SUGGEST A NEW FACILITY.

>> HOW BIG WOULD THIS MOVE BE?

>> IT WOULD BE ENORMOUS.

YOU LOOK AT OBVIOUSLY THE A'S ARE A BIG DEAL IN CARSON CITY.

THAT WAS ORIGINALLY $500 MILLION DEAL NOW IT'S MAYBE $395 MILLION.

YOU LOOK AT TESLA.

HOWEVER -- THIS DEAL WOULD BE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LARGER THAN THAT.

AGAIN, SORT OF THE CAVEATS IS WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THESE NUMBERS ARE.

THIS IS BASED ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING.

>> AND WHAT WOULD SONY PICTURES HAVE TO PRODUCE IN ORDER TO GET LAWMAKERS ON THEIR SIDE?

>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THAT'S WHAT WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER TO.

LAWMAKERS HAVEN'T REALLY REACTED TO THIS NEWS IN CARSON CITY YET.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS PRESS CONFERENCE HAPPENS.

AND WHETHER OR NOT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS ON BOARD AND BASICALLY WHAT THE ACTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THIS DEAL LOOKS LIKE.

>> WOW.

OKAY.

WELL, A POSSIBLE HISTORIC MOVE BY SONY PICTURES TO LAS VEGAS SHOULD THESE TAX INCENTIVES BE APPROVED, A BILL AS YOU REPORTED GOING TO BE INTRODUCED, YOU EXPECT, LATER TODAY.

YOU MENTIONED THE OAKLAND A'S.

THEY ARE NOW, ACCORDING TO THE NEVADA INDEPENDENT, LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION FOR THEIR $1.5 BILLION STADIUM.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SITE OF THE TROPICANA INSTEAD OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCED BY THE TEAM, LAND NORTH OF ALLEGIANT STADIUM THAT THEY PLANNED TO BUY FROM RED ROCK RESORTS.

WHAT'S THE REASON BEHIND THIS CHANGE?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE BIG REASONS IS THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC MONEY INVOLVED.

THAT ORIGINAL SITE WOULD HAVE COST ABOUT $500 MILLION IN STATE MONEY.

THIS NEW SITE IS BEING PROPOSED AS A $395 MILLION.

DOES THAT $105 MILLION END UP MOVING THE NEEDLE AMONG SKEPTICAL LEGISLATORS OR EVEN SKEPTICAL COUNTY OFFICIALS, I THINK THAT'S AN OPEN QUESTION.

BUT CERTAINLY THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN DRIVER.

>> AND HOW WOULD THIS DEAL WITH THE TROPICANA WORK?

>> AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, THERE WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER LAND COST.

AND SO THAT'S ALSO AN INCENTIVE FOR THE A'S.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DETAILS ABOUT EXACTLY HOW THIS STADIUM WOULD BE BUILT.

IT WOULD INVOLVE DEMOLISHING THE TROPICANA AS IT EXISTS NOW.

BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SPECIFICS OF THE DEAL, WE FRANKLY HAVEN'T SEEN BILL LANGUAGE YET.

AS FAR AS LIKE THE TAX STRUCTURE, HOW THE EXACT KIND OF PUBLIC MONEY THAT WOULD GO INTO THIS.

WE DON'T ACTUALLY QUITE KNOW YET.

>> BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU NEXT.

IS THIS GOING TO BE A SIMILAR TAX STRUCTURE TO WHAT THEY WERE PROPOSING WITH THE LAND OWNED BY RED ROCK RESORTS WHICH WAS GOING TO BE A TAX DISTRICT, YOU DON'T KNOW YET EXACTLY HOW THIS PUBLIC FUNDING WOULD BE CREATED?

>> RIGHT.

AND WE DO EXPECT BILL LANGUAGE SOON.

LAWMAKERS, LEGISLATIVE LEADERS I SHOULD SAY LAST WEEK BASICALLY SAID THEY WERE RUNNING OUT OF TIME FOR SUCH A MAJOR BILL TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS THIS REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AND SO WE THINK THERE IS A BILL IN THE WORKS.

AND IT COULD COME AS EARLY AS THE END OF THIS WEEK.

IT COULD COME AS LATE AS NEXT WEEK.

BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WE HAD SEAN GOLONKA ON TALKING ABOUT THIS AND HE SAID WE COULD EXPECT BILL LANGUAGE AS SOON AS TOMORROW, TWO WEEKS HAVE PASSED SINCE THEN.

I JUST WONDER, WITH SO MANY STADIUM PROPOSALS HAVING COME AND GONE IN LAS VEGAS, VIEWERS MAY BE THINKING, GOSH, DOES THIS REALLY HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF THIS HAPPENING, THE OAKLAND A'S RELOCATING HERE.

AND I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU'RE HEARING UP IN CARSON CITY, WHAT IS THE SENTIMENT AMONG LAWMAKERS OR LOBBYISTS OR YOUR OWN PEERS THE ODDS OF THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING?

>> I THINK IT'S AN OPEN QUESTION RIGHT NOW.

CERTAINLY LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN HESITANT TO COMMENT ON ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING REALLY TO COMMENT ON.

THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN A BILL.

SO WHEN WE ASK THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY OR SENATE MAJORITY LEADER THEY'LL SAY, WELL, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.

SO RIGHT NOW EVERYONE IS SORT OF SITTING ON THEIR HANDS.

PUBLICLY.

>> TRANSITIONING -- PUBLICLY, GOOD POINT.

I WAS LISTENING TO AN INDY MATTERS FOR THE NEVADA INDEPENDENT, YOU DO SUCH A GOOD JOB ON THAT, BY THE WAY, THERE WAS AN AD FROM THE NEVADA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION SAYING SCOLDING LAWMAKERS FOR WANTING TO FUND $500 MILLION FOR WHAT THEY CALLED CALIFORNIA BILLIONAIRE.

IT WAS KIND OF A VEILED SHOT AT THE OAKLAND A'S SITUATION.

BUT I WAS THINKING EDUCATION GROUPS LIKE THEM SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT PLEASED WITH PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE IN K-12 FUNDING.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

JUST THIS MORNING, ACTUALLY, MAJOR BUDGET COMMITTEE VOTED TO APPROVE $2 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL K-12 MONEY.

THIS GOES THROUGH THE STATE'S K-12 FUNDING FORMULA THE PEOPLE-CENTERED FUNDING PLAN.

BASICALLY THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT IT'S A 26% INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF STATE K-12 FUNDING COMPARED TO THE LAST TWO-YEAR BUDGET CYCLE WHICH IS ENORMOUS.

BUT IT'S STILL SORT OF LAGS THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION ON SCHOOL FUNDING WHICH SAYS THE STATE NEEDED TO SPEND UPWARDS OF $3.2 BILLION OVER A TEN-YEAR PERIOD JUST TO SORT OF GET TO RECOMMENDED FUNDING LEVELS.

>> AND THAT COMMISSION ON SCHOOL FUNDING, WHAT WERE THEY RECOMMENDING IN ORDER TO RAISE THAT MONEY?

>> THEY WERE ACTUALLY RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE IN THE STATE'S PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAXES.

SOMETHING THAT NEITHER LEGISLATIVE DEMOCRATS OR THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAVE BEEN SUPER EXCITED TO TOUCH WITH 100-FOOT POLE.

INSTEAD WHAT THEY'VE BEEN RELYING ON IS MASSIVE TAX REVENUE INCREASES.

THE STATE SAW A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN THOSE REVENUE COLLECTIONS AND SO BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE FUNDING FORMULA WORKS, $2 BILLION JUST GOT INJECTED INTO IT.

SO I THINK THEY'RE JUST RELYING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

>> AND BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR JOE LOMBARDO WANT TO CLAIM CREDIT FOR THAT AS YOU'VE REPORTED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

JACOB SOLIS OF THE NEVADA INDEPENDENT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND WE MOVE NOW TO HEART DISEASE.

WHICH ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IS THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF WOMEN.

AND HERE IN NEVADA, ONE IN THREE WOMEN IS SAID TO BE LIVING WITH A FORM OF HEART DISEASE.

HOWEVER, WITH THE RIGHT CARE AND TREATMENT IT CAN BE MANAGED AND EVEN LESSENED.

MARIA SILVA IS IN STUDIO WITH TWO LOCAL DOCTORS ON A MISSION TO HELP WOMEN IN CONTROL OF HEART HEALTH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMBER.

IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE YOU, DR. KATHY BENSON, A CARDIOLOGIST WITH ADVANCED HEART & VASCULAR SPECIALISTS, AND WE ALSO HAVE DR. KATE ZHONG, A UNLV PROFESSOR, GO REBELS, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BRAIN HEALTH.

SHE'S ALSO A GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRIST, PHARMACOLOGIST AND BRAIN HEALTH ADVOCATE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TO DISCUSS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> I WANTED TO START WITH YOU DR. ZHONG BECAUSE YOUR STORY, YOU'RE HERE AS A PATIENT.

SO TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR SITUATION AND HOW NOW YOU'VE BECOME REALLY AN ADVOCATE WHEN IT COMES TO WOMEN'S HEART HEALTH.

>> IT'S SUCH A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

I AS A PHYSICIAN I AM VERY VIGILANT ABOUT MY LIFESTYLE.

I EAT HEALTHY.

I EXERCISE.

AND I DON'T USUALLY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HEART DISEASE, SUCH AS HYPERTENSION, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND DIABETES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

I CONSIDER MYSELF IN GENERAL VERY HEALTHY.

BUT JUST ABOUT HALF A YEAR AGO I STARTED TO FEEL TIRED.

I STARTED TO HAVE PALPITATIONS, AND MY HEART WAS RACING FROM TIME TO TIME.

AND I DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT.

I THOUGHT OH, I MIGHT BE JUST STRESSED AND OVERWORKED AND DIDN'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THAT.

BUT THAT SYMPTOMS CONTINUED TO THE POINT THAT IT WOKE ME UP MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

2:00 IN THE MORNING, I WAS HAVING A HEARTBEAT OF A HUNDRED.

AND I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.

SO THEN I WENT TO SEE MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, WHO DID A FABULOUS JOB, DID ALL THE BLOOD TESTS, ALL THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND EKG.

EVERYTHING CAME BACK NORMAL.

SO THERE'S REALLY NOTHING WRONG, QUOTE/UNQUOTE.

AND WHEN I WAS LIVING MY LIFE, I THOUGHT I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH CHANGES IN MY LIFE.

BUT THAT CONTINUED.

AND I WENT BACK TO MY DOCTOR, I WENT THROUGH THE HALTER MONITORING, I WEAR THAT MACHINE FOR TWO WEEKS, THEY WERE CHECKING MY HEART RATE.

AGAIN THE RESULTS CAME BACK PERFECTLY NORMAL.

>> BUT YOU KNEW, IN YOUR HEART, THAT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.

>> EXACTLY.

I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.

BUT WHAT COULD THAT BE?

SO I THINK THIS IS WHERE I PAUSE.

I WANT TO SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE, YOU'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.

YOU'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

WHEN YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, YOU HAVE TO ACT.

>> BECAUSE AGAIN YOU WENT THROUGH SO MANY TESTS AND THEY KEPT TELLING YOU EVERYTHING WAS OKAY.

>> EVERYTHING CAME BACK NORMAL.

RIGHT?

AND AGAIN I HAVE NO FAMILY HISTORY.

I HAVE NO OTHER RISK FACTORS.

I WOULDN'T AUTOMATICALLY ASSOCIATE THAT WITH ME HAVING A HEART PROBLEM.

SO LUCKILY -- >> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE, AGAIN, SERENDIPITOUS, BOTH OF YOU MEET UP, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, DR. BENSON.

>> I MET KATE ACTUALLY ALMOST OVER A YEAR AGO.

WE KNEW EACH OTHER SOCIALLY.

SHE AND I MET UP.

AND SHE HAD SHARED HER EXPERIENCE OR HER SYMPTOMS WITH ME.

AND WE DISCUSSED THAT MAYBE SHE NEEDS FURTHER TESTING.

>> WHAT TESTING DID YOU DO?

>> SHE SAID I REALLY WANT YOU TO COME TO MY OFFICE.

SHE'S VERY PERSISTENT.

>> WHICH IS GOOD.

WE NEED THAT.

>> WHICH IS VERY GOOD.

I'M VERY GRATEFUL.

SHE'S SEEN SO MANY FEMALE PATIENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AS I HAVE.

SO I WENT TO DR. BENSON'S OFFICE.

AND THEN SHE CHECKED ME OUT.

AGAIN, BLOOD TESTS, EKG, WHICH WAS ALL NORMAL.

INITIALLY.

THEN SHE PERSISTED.

THANK YOU DR. BENSON.

SHE SAID I'M GOING TO DO MORE.

SO FROM THERE ONWARD I HAD STRESS TESTS AND I WENT ON THE TREADMILL, AND YOU RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN FOR A FEW MINUTES.

FROM THERE ONWARD I WENT ON THIS PATIENT JOURNEY BECAUSE THE STRESS TEST CAME BACK ABNORMAL.

RIGHT.

SO THEN DR. BENSON SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE.

WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE MORE.

SO I THEN PROCEEDED WITH THE NEXT TESTS, WHICH IS CT SCAN OF MY HEART WITH CONTRAST AT SUNRISE HOSPITAL.

AND THEN ONE THURSDAY AFTERNOON, SHE CALLED ME.

SHE SAID I WANT YOU TO COME TO THE OFFICE.

I SAID OKAY.

SO WE SAT DOWN.

SHE PULLED THE REPORT.

SHE SAID I DON'T LIKE WHAT I SEE HERE.

MY HEART SANK, LITERALLY.

THEN SHE TOLD ME, DR. BENSON TOLD ME THAT I HAVE 50% BLOCKAGE OF MY MAIN LEFT ARTERY.

THAT'S PRETTY SERIOUS, RIGHT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, DR. BENSON.

THE TESTS THAT YOU DID, AGAIN YOU YOURSELF SAID WE NEED TO DO MORE.

I MEAN, A LOT OF TIMES OTHER PATIENTS MAY HAVE STOPPED AT THE FIRST FEW TESTS AND NO, EVERYTHING IS OKAY, I'M JUST GOING TO GO ON WITH MY LIFE.

BUT YOU PERSISTED AS WELL.

YOU SAID COME ON IN, LET'S GET MORE TESTING DONE.

TELL US ABOUT HER DIAGNOSIS.

>> I RECOMMENDED A STRESS TEST.

WHEN SHE EXERCISED ON THE STRESS TEST, THAT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS SOME STRAIN TO HER HEART WHEN SHE WAS EXERCISING.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE KNOW THAT FEMALES HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEART DISEASE THAN TRADITIONAL HEART DISEASE THAT WE THINK OF.

AND KNOWING THAT, WE PURSUED MORE TESTING.

>> AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

YOU BRING UP SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DOES IMPACT WOMEN DIFFERENTLY THAN MEN.

>> YES.

EXACTLY.

SO WOMEN, WE HAVE A LOT OF GENDER DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR PRESENTATION OF HEART DISEASE.

AND OUR DIAGNOSIS OF HEART DISEASE AND WHAT EXACTLY IS CAUSING OUR HEART DISEASE.

WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE TRADITIONAL HOLLYWOOD HEART ATTACK THAT EVERYONE THINKS OF, THE MAN CLUTCHING HIS CHEST.

WE MIGHT HAVE SYMPTOMS OF FATIGUE, DIZZINESS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, PALPITATIONS, AND THESE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE MUST KEEP IN MIND.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S OTHER TESTING THAT WE CAN DO TO BRING AND ELICIT THE VERY SPECIFIC TYPES OF HEART DISEASE THAT ARE MORE COMMON IN WOMEN.

>> TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS THAT WOMEN MIGHT BE FEELING THAT THEY ATTRIBUTE TO STRESS.

>> LIKE DR. ZHONG MENTIONED, SHE WAS HAVING FATIGUE, PALPITATIONS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH NOT SO MUCH BUT FATIGUE AND PALPITATIONS.

LOTS OF FEMALES HAVE THAT.

WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE FEMALES OR WE'RE STRESSED.

IF IT'S TRANSIENT YES, BUT WHEN IT'S PERSISTENT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING MORE SIGNIFICANT.

IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE -- >> ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS I READ ABOUT WAS STOMACH PAINS.

>> YES.

SO I WAS SHARING WITH DR. ZHONG HOW I EXPLAIN IT TO MY FEMALE PATIENTS, ANYWHERE FROM YOUR NOSE TO YOUR HOSE, FRONT AND BACK, BOTH SIDES.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY DISCOMFORT IN ANY OF THOSE REGIONS, IT COULD BE YOUR HEART BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE HEART SENSES WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT.

>> DR. ZHONG, HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?

>> I'M COPING.

I JUST WANT TO COME BACK TO THE TEST BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE HAVE TO BE QUITE AWARE OF THE JOURNEY THAT THEY EMBARK ON.

IT'S NOT OVERNIGHT.

AFTER THE CT SCAN I WAS WITH DR. BENSON.

SHE DECIDED I NEED TO DO MORE TESTS.

SO THEN I WENT AHEAD AND HAD ANGIOGRAM DONE.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER TEST THAT I WENT THROUGH.

AND SO THAT THE RESULT WAS SUCH THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE PLAQUES BUILT INSIDE MY MAIN ARTERY.

THAT'S VERY COMMON FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE CORONARY DISEASE RATHER I HAVE A CONDITION CALLED VASOSPASM, ARTERY SPASM, THAT WILL CAUSE CONSTRICTION OF MY ARTERY.

THEREFORE IT WILL IMPAIR THE BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE HEART MUSCLE AND CAUSE MY SYMPTOMS.

>> ANGIOGRAM, EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS.

>> ANGIOGRAM.

SO THERE'S SEVERAL WAYS TO LOOK AT ARTERIES.

WE DID A NONINVASIVE ANGIOGRAM ON DR. ZHONG INITIALLY TO GET A GENERAL IDEA.

WHICH IS A GREAT TEST FOR FEMALE PATIENTS FOLLOWING PROVOCATIVE TESTS LIKE STRESS TESTS, TO ELICIT WHETHER WE HAVE TRUE BLOCKAGE AS DR. ZHONG HAD MENTIONED, OR WE HAVE MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE SPASM.

BUT AS IN DR. ZHONG'S CASE, IT INDICATED SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS.

HENCE, AN ANGIOGRAM.

ANGIOGRAM IS AN INVASIVE TEST.

WE ACTUALLY GO INSIDE THE BODY THROUGH AN ARTERY IN THE ARM OR LEG, INJECT DYE IN THOSE ARTERIES TO SEE, AS DR. ZHONG MENTIONED, WHETHER THERE'S PLAQUE BUILT UP WITHIN THE ARTERIES OR IF SOMETHING ELSE IS STRUCTURALLY WRONG.

>> WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE OF WOMEN OF ALL AGES BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT YOUNGER WOMEN I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION IT ONLY IMPACTS PEOPLE OF A CERTAIN AGE WHEN YOU'RE OLDER.

BUT NOT THE CASE.

>> NO, NOT THE CASE.

ADVICE TO AS WE HAD MENTIONED HERE SEVERAL TIMES IS TO BE YOUR OWN BEST ADVOCATE.

SO IF SOMETHING IS TRANSIENT, IT'S TRANSIENT.

IF IT LASTS LONGER THAN TWO WEEKS, YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE THAT CHECKED OUT.

AND AGAIN EVEN IF SOMEBODY SAYS IT'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, IF YOU FEEL CONCERNED, YOU CAN ALWAYS SEEK SOME ADVICE WITH ANOTHER PHYSICIAN, ANOTHER TYPE OF CARDIOLOGIST, ANOTHER TYPE OF PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.

SO AT LEAST YOU FEEL SOME COMFORT IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE GIVEN TO YOU.

>> AGAIN, THE SYMPTOMS, LET'S GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE SYMPTOMS.

>> TRADITIONAL SYMPTOMS.

WOMEN ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THE HOLLYWOOD HEART ATTACK SYMPTOM.

CHEST PRESSURE, HEAVINESS SWEATING, NAUSEA, THOSE TYPES OF SYMPTOMS.

HOWEVER WE HAVE OTHER SYMPTOMS THAT ARE MORE SPECIFIC TO WOMEN.

WE SEE THOSE ALSO IN OLDER PATIENTS AND THOSE WITH DIABETES AS WELL.

FATIGUE.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH WHEN YOU EXERT.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH AT REST.

YOU START FEELING NAUSEOUS.

YOU HAVE ANY DISCOMFORT.

I HAVE PATIENTS WHO TRULY HAVE HEART DISEASE AND THEY HAVE RIGHT SHOULDER PAIN OR RIGHT SCAPULAR PAIN IN YOUR BACK.

THESE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW.

>> I THINK ALSO THE FACT WOMEN'S HEART DISEASE TEND TO BE OVERLOOKED AT.

FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.

ONE IS THAT WHEN WE WERE IN TRAINING, WE WERE TRAINED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS CLASSICAL SYMPTOMS.

AND IT'S PRIMARILY CHEST PAIN AND WE HEARD ABOUT THE WIDOWS MAKER AND IT'S DESCRIBING MEN HAVING A HEART ATTACK, NOT WOMEN HAVING A HEART ATTACK.

SO FROM THE PHYSICIAN'S PERSPECTIVE, WE WERE TRAINED TEXTBOOK WISE RECOGNIZING YOUR TYPICAL MAN KIND OF HEART DISEASE, NOT WOMEN.

BUT IT'S CHANGING.

SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING.

SECONDLY, I THINK AS WE HEARD FROM DR. BENSON, THE WOMEN'S HEART DISEASE AND HEART CONDITION TEND TO HAVE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT PRESENTATION SYMPTOMS.

SO WE HAVE TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF THAT.

MYSELF INCLUDED.

AND NUMBER THREE, I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, FOR WOMEN, WE TEND TO REALLY DEVOTE A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND OUR ATTENTION TO EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND OURSELVES.

WE SAY MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE STRESS.

I OVERWORKED.

YOU KNOW WHAT, I TAKE A BATH, I TAKE A VACATION, THINGS SHOULD BE BETTER.

BUT IT'S NOT.

SO YOUR HEALTH COMES FIRST.

YOU HAVE TO BE YOUR BEST ADVOCATE FOR YOUR HEALTH.

YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.

YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

>> I DO WANT TO SHARE AN INTERVIEW THAT WE DID WITH KRISTEN KIDMAN OUR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER HERE AT "NEVADA WEEK."

SHE FIRST DIAGNOSED AT 34 YEARS OLD, AGAIN WE TALK ABOUT, IT DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE WHEN IT COMES TO HEART DISEASE.

AND I WANT TO SHARE HER STORY AND I WANT US TO COMMENT AFTER BECAUSE WHILE YOU WERE FEELING THE HEART PALPITATIONS SHE WASN'T FEELING ANYTHING AT ALL.

>> I WENT TO THE DOCTOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.

AND I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING ONE ISSUE.

AND WHILE THEY WERE JUST DOING A REGULAR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK THEY CAME BACK AND THEY SAID YOU KNOW YOU'RE AT 210, RIGHT?

AND I SAID WHAT?

WHAT?

AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

AND THEN MY MINOR ISSUE I WENT IN FOR BECAME THIS WHOLE BIG EMERGENCY.

IT WAS A WHOLE PRODUCTION.

I HAD TO HAVE SO MANY TESTS DONE.

SO THEN AT THE TIME THEY SAID YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

WE NEED TO GET YOU TREATED FOR THIS RIGHT AWAY.

AND THEN NOW JUST SAME THING AGAIN.

I WENT TO THE DOCTOR FOR JUST SOMETHING MINOR.

AND THEY DISCOVERED SOME MORE HEART ISSUES.

THEY DISCOVERED AN IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT.

THEY DISCOVERED MAYBE A BLOCKAGE.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY SURE YET.

THAT'S WHAT I'M BEING TESTED FOR.

MY GRANDPARENTS HAVE HEART ISSUES.

MY PARENTS HAVE HEART ISSUES.

NOW I KNOW I HAVE IT.

AND SO IT'S SOMETHING I'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH MY SON JUST MAKING SURE HE'S EATING REALLY HEALTHY, HE'S GETTING A LOT OF EXERCISE.

WE TRY TO DO FAMILY WORKOUTS TOGETHER.

NOW THAT I KNOW I HAVE THIS ISSUE, AND I KNOW WHAT THE RISK FACTORS ARE AND I KNOW WHAT TRIGGERS IT NOW.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, SAY I EAT SOMETHING REALLY SALTY OR I HAVE LIKE TOO MUCH FUN ON A NIGHT OUT OR MAYBE I FORGET TO TAKE MY MEDICINE, I'LL FEEL MY HEART RATE GO UP.

I'LL FEEL MY BLOOD PRESSURE GO UP.

AND IT DOES HURT.

STRESS IS A BIG PART OF IT.

I WORK IN NEWS.

THAT'S ALWAYS JUST BEEN MY LITTLE STRESS BUBBLE MY ENTIRE CAREER.

BUT IT'S MAKING ME PICK MY BATTLES.

SO WHEN I COME HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY I CAN EITHER POUND OUT AND CLEAN MY HOUSE AND GET A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS DONE, OR YOU KNOW IF I'M NOT FEELING IT THAT DAY I HAVE TO PUT MY HEART FIRST AND PUT MYSELF FIRST AND JUST RELAX AND TRY AGAIN THE NEXT DAY.

>> SOUNDS LIKE SHE HAD A COMPONENT OF HYPERTENSION OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

SO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS THE SILENT KILLER.

YES.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WOMEN NEED TO BE AWARE OF.

ADDITIONALLY, YOU'LL FIND WHERE WOMEN HAVE PALPITATIONS AND EVEN IF THEY'RE DIAGNOSED WITH AN IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT, THEIR THOUGHT OH WELL YOU'LL BE FINE, JUST TAKE SOME MEDICINES AND YOU'LL BE FINE.

ACTUALLY WHAT WE KNOW IS FROM SOME STUDIES THAT WERE DONE IS THAT THESE WOMEN WHO DO HAVE THESE CONDITIONS ACTUALLY THEY FARE WORSE THAN THOSE WHO DO NOT.

OVER A PERIOD OF 12 YEARS, WHEN THEY'RE FOLLOWED.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET DIAGNOSED.

TO FOLLOW UP AND TO CHANGE LIFESTYLE AND MEDICATION MANAGEMENT IF NECESSARY.

>> I DO WANT TO BRING UP BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT HEART DISEASE BEING THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF WOMEN.

WE DON'T HAVE RESOURCES HERE IN NEVADA, DOCTOR.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

WE WERE TALKING OFF CAMERA AND I SAID THAT'S DISHEARTENING.

AND IT IS SHOCKING GIVEN THE FACT THAT IT IS THE NUMBER ONE KILLER AND WE DON'T HAVE A CENTER HERE FOR HEART DISEASE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WOMEN.

>> SURE, WE DON'T HAVE A CONCENTRATED CENTER FOR WOMEN, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE DO HAVE MANY WELL-EDUCATED CARDIOLOGISTS WHO ARE AWARE OF THIS CONDITION AND THESE CONDITIONS, IT'S A BREADTH OF CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT WOMEN.

WITH REGARDS TO A CONCENTRATED CENTER WE DON'T.

I THINK OTHER LARGE COMMUNITIES, LAS VEGAS IS BECOMING ONE, DO HAVE THESE TYPES OF RESOURCES.

WE THINK THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE TO CONCENTRATE ON.

>> IT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE DISCUSSED, AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, DR. ZHONG?

>> I THINK AS A PATIENT, AS A PHYSICIAN, AS A NEVADAN HERE, AND I THINK IT'S SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO HERE TO ESTABLISH A CENTER FOR SPECIALIZING WOMEN'S HEART.

NOT JUST FOR THE TREATMENT.

NOT JUST FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, BUT I THINK FOR PREVENTION.

MORE IMPORTANTLY.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO RAISE AWARENESS.

WE NEED TO RAISE FUNDS AND WE NEED TO GET OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY GATHERED BEHIND THIS INITIATIVE.

>> AND DOCTOR, BEFORE WE LEAVE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO DOCTORS.

>> RIGHT.

SO THAT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.

HAVING CARDIOLOGISTS GO INTO THE RURAL COMMUNITIES.

I'M AWARE OF SEVERAL CARDIOLOGISTS THEY TRAVEL TO ELKO AND SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES TO OFFER SERVICES.

IN TERMS OF PREVENTION THOSE SORT OF FOCUS ON THE MAIN CENTERS.

ADDITIONALLY, REACHING OUT TO OUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS AS WELL TO KNOW THAT PREVENTION ALSO STARTS WITH THEM SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO SEE A CARDIOLOGIST FOR PREVENTION BUT OCCASIONALLY YOU'LL HAVE MORE HEART SPECIALIZED HEART DISEASE PREVENTION WITH A CARDIOLOGIST.

TELEHEALTH HAS IMPROVED SOME OF THOSE BOUNDARIES TO ACCESS TO CARE TO SPECIALTIES, PER SE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, SMALL COMMUNITIES.

HOWEVER, IT'S STILL AN ONGOING EFFORT ALWAYS.

>> WHERE CAN YOU GET MORE INFORMATION?

I KNOW THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, THE WEBSITE HAS GREAT VIDEOS EVERYTHING FROM LEARNING CPR, WHICH IS SO CRUCIAL, TO FOR WOMEN ALSO KNOWING THE SYMPTOMS AND RISK FACTORS.

>> AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION.

THERE'S GO RED FOR WOMEN.

THERE'S ALSO WOMEN HEART WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES THAT ACTUALLY FOCUSES ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

>> THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH.

FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE?

>> LISTEN TO THE HEART.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEART, AND BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE.

>> I LOVE YOUR NECKLACE, BY THE WAY, BEAUTIFUL HEART.

DOCTOR.

>> SAME ACTUALLY ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF ALWAYS KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG AND AGAIN LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND THEN GET OUT AND EDUCATE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR SPOUSES.

IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE WORD OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT KILLER OF WOMEN, MOST IMPORTANT TOP KILLER IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

APPRECIATE YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> AMBER, BACK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MARIA, AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

FOR ANY OF THE RESOURCES DISCUSSED ON THIS SHOW PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE, VEGASPBS.ORG/NEVADAWEEK.