Cristina Pecci, DO, FACC

Cardiologist at the Heart and Vascular Center of Arizona/CVAUSA Network  

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States. Yet, for decades, the clinical frameworks used to detect, diagnose and treat it were built almost entirely on research conducted with male populations. Cristina has dedicated her cardiology career to changing that reality—one patient, one protocol and one conversation at a time. 

At 36, Dr. Pecci has positioned herself as a leading advocate for gender-equitable cardiovascular care. Her clinical approach is grounded in the recognition that women experience cardiovascular disease differently than men: Women’s risk is shaped by pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and peripartum cardiomyopathy, by hormonal transitions across the lifespan, by autoimmune conditions that disproportionately affect women and by symptom presentations that frequently diverge from the textbook patterns developed from male cohorts. These differences, if unrecognized, lead to delayed diagnoses, undertreated risks and preventable harms. 

Cristina has worked to close these gaps at the clinical, educational and systemic levels. She has developed patient engagement strategies that are accessible, direct and empowering for women. She has advocated for earlier, more gender-sensitive screening protocols and has helped cultivate a clinical culture that treats women’s heart health as a distinct and urgent priority. 

Dr. Pecci’s work is not just about providing better care today. It is about building the frameworks, awareness and clinical habits that will protect women’s hearts for generations to come.