For more than 15 years, Lisa Gluck has been a leading force in philanthropy, helping professional athletes, entertainers and entrepreneurs honor causes that are close to their hearts. Yet, in a twist of fate, it would be Gluck’s own heart that demanded urgent attention.
In January 2023, Gluck began to feel subtle pressure in her chest that would come and go. Initially, the discomfort was mild and, she believed, not enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room. But it was persistent, and that concerned her. Her doctor, however, suggested that her symptoms were likely due to anxiety and advised her to seek therapy.
But Gluck knew something was wrong. “Women can describe their symptoms but may be told it’s anxiety or other things,” she said. “There’s a ton of bias there. That’s what happened to me.”
Heart disease is, in fact, the leading cause of death in women. But women’s symptoms may be different from those in men, making it more difficult for health care providers to recognize, resulting in later diagnosis.
Women, also, are more likely to have “silent” heart disease, going through their lives without symptoms.
Gluck insisted on further testing, and, following a CT scan, learned that she had congenital heart disease, specifically an anomalous coronary artery — a rare and potentially fatal condition in which one of the coronary arteries arises from an abnormal location.
“The doctor called and told me two things you never want to hear: ‘It is serious and it is unique,’” Gluck recalled. “I was born with this condition, and I didn’t know about it my entire life.”
Determined to find the best care, Gluck began researching and meeting with surgeons from different hospitals. She ultimately chose Richard J. Shemin, MD, chief of cardiac surgery at UCLA Health.
In addition to his expert skillset, “I chose Dr. Shemin because I felt like, finally, someone was really listening to me,” Gluck said. “Having had my concerns brushed aside by other doctors, that was important to me.”
Gluck added, “Dr. Shemin brought in Dr. Jamil Aboulhosn, who thoroughly illustrated the problem, its symptoms, effects and necessary solutions, which allowed me to wrap my head around what was at stake and what was ahead. I felt confident in his expertise, too, given that he wrote and contributed to the AHA guidelines for many parts of this condition.”
Healing and Advocacy
Gluck underwent open heart surgery in May 2023 to repair the anomalous coronary artery.
A year after her surgery, Gluck said that she feels more like herself again, and she encourages other women to be more assertive in advocating for themselves when they have concerns about their health.
“My persistence saved me,” she said. “If I had not been adamant about getting more tests, things could have turned out very differently.”
Dr. Shemin agreed that it is important for women to be self-advocates on behalf of their own health care. “Lisa was very vocal, and she asked a lot of questions, which was a good thing because they were able to discover her condition after more tests were done,” Dr. Shemin said.
“Women know their body best,” Gluck said. “We know when something is wrong.” And she urged women to not be dissuaded from seeking answers and appropriate care. “Doing so could mean the difference between life or death,” she said.
