Women’s Heart Health In the Spotlight at South Pasadena Clubhouse

A board-certified cardiologist will speak about women’s cardiovascular health at the Woman’s Club of South Pasadena on February 12, offering local women information about heart disease risks that research suggests many are unaware of.

The presentation by Dr. Xiushi Suzy Liu, a cardiac electrophysiologist with training at Harvard Medical School and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, takes place during American Heart Month at the club’s historic 1913 Clubhouse on Fremont Avenue. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killing more women annually than all forms of cancer combined. Yet only 44% of women recognize heart disease as their greatest health threat, according to the American Heart Association.

Dr. Liu will address how women’s heart health differs from men’s, including prevention strategies, nutrition, and the role hormones play in cardiovascular risk, according to a press release from the Woman’s Club. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

The event is open to the public, and women of all ages are welcome to attend, according to the press release.

Dr. Liu runs her own cardiology practice, now based in Monrovia after relocating from Arcadia in 2025, according to her practice website. She is a Fellow in Heart Rhythm Society and holds privileges at USC Arcadia Hospital, Huntington Memorial Hospital, and Garfield Medical Center. She completed her cardiology fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch and DeBakey Methodist Hospital and her clinical electrophysiology fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She also completed postdoctoral training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School.

Her expertise includes diagnosing and managing heart rhythm disorders, and she has performed more than 4,000 cardiac electrophysiology procedures over the past 15 years, according to her website.

The topic of women’s heart health carries particular weight because symptoms often differ between men and women. While chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom for both sexes, women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain, according to the American Heart Association. Women are also more likely to ignore their symptoms.

Research also shows that a woman’s cardiovascular risk tends to increase at and around menopause. While menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease, the transition marks a point when risk factors can accelerate, according to the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative.

The Woman’s Club of South Pasadena was founded in 1899 and is the oldest club in the city. The Clubhouse, a Craftsman-style building at 1424 Fremont Ave., is listed on the City of South Pasadena’s Cultural Heritage inventory. The club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to service, philanthropy, and building connections among women.

The February 12 event begins at 7 p.m. at the South Pasadena Clubhouse, 1424 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena. For more information, contact Angela Walker, MD, 1st Vice President, at 1stVPdean@womansclubsp.com.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. In 2023, cardiovascular disease caused 919,032 deaths nationally—about one in every three deaths, according to the CDC.