When someone thinks of heart health, they may think of the elderly.

But Whitney Middendorf, a Wichita State integrated marketing student, is testament that cardiovascular diseases can affect anyone at any age. As a teenager, she was diagnosed with a rare type of cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.

Middendorf was one of two guest speakers Monday at the Campus Activities Center Theater for a discussion on the No. 1 killer of women — heart disease. The talk was hosted by WSU’s Alpha Phi chapter and the American Heart Association as part of the sorority’s second annual “Go Red Week.”

All week long, Go Red Week aims to raise heart health awareness among students.

In the United States, one in four women die from heart disease, a disease more deadly than all forms of cancer. Although some types of heart disease can be hereditary, women — as well as men — can take charge of their health and fight the disease.

When Middendorf was a child, she was involved in several sports. Soccer, however, was her least favorite, because it involved the most running.

At a young age, Middendorf said she realized she would run out of breath quickly while playing sports, and she couldn’t keep up with her other friends. She visited her family doctor and was diagnosed with asthma, so she switched to dance and cheer.

After blacking out during a light run in her freshman gym class, Middendorf was then referred to a cardiologist.

After numerous tests and ultrasounds, the doctor told Middendorf that nothing was wrong and to go home. After going back to dance and feeling like her condition was getting worse, she went back to her family doctor.

“‘Look, this cardiologist said that nothing was wrong, but I know something is not right,’” Middendorf remembered telling her doctor. “I’m a 15-year-old girl.”

After seeing an electrophysiologist, Middendorf was finally diagnosed with inappropriate sinus tachycardia.

“It was the biggest relief off of my shoulders,” she said, “like I finally had an answer, we finally knew what was wrong.”

The final solution to Middendorf’s condition was a pacemaker. It took a few doctors appointments for her parents to agree to the pacemaker, but during spring break of her senior year of high school, Middendorf received the surgery she desperately needed.

Middendorf described her scar to the crowd.

“It’s about an inch on my chest, you can feel it,” she said. “My friends think it’s weird and cool at the same time.”

Middendorf’s pacemaker is not a life-and-death pacemaker. It is there to raise her heartbeat above 120 beats per minute when exercising, so she can lead a normal, active lifestyle.

Middendorf said she now has no restrictions on life.

“It’s given me my life back,” she said.

The message Middendorf wants to tell young women is to speak up. She said if a person feels something is wrong, trust your intuition, and she’s been sharing her testimony for the past three years.

Lipman, a local cardiologist, was also among the guest speakers of the night to give information about heart health. She said she came to Wichita in 1991 and realized that cardiology was “a man’s world.”

Lipman began lecturing around the country to women about heart disease.  She said it is proven that women get heart disease at an older age than men and have fewer heart attacks than men, but women die more from heart attacks.

Women tend to get heart attacks 10 years after menopause. And more and more, women are getting ovaries and uteruses removed at young ages, causing premature menopause. That is putting younger women at risk for heart disease.

“We can prevent heart attacks, and we need to start early,” Lipman said.

Lipman said one of the things both women and men can do to prevent heart disease is exercise and watch cholesterol. She said a case study shows if a person exercises four days a week, it not only helps the heart, but it helps the brain. A healthy diet is also effective in avoiding heart disease.

Marie Brewer, vice president of marketing for Alpha Phi, said the sorority hopes to spread the information for overall prevention, especially in women, to know they are different and to know signs of heart disease.

“It’s our philanthropy,” Brewer said.

The WSU Alpha Phi chapter is hosting events all week. For more information or questions regarding Go Red Week, contact [email protected]. For more information regarding heart health, visit goredforwomen.org.