Specialties
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Cardiac Intensive Care
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Women’s Heart Health
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About
Dr. Gretchen Wells, a native of Birmingham, Ala., earned her medical degree and PhD from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. She then went on to Wake Forest University, where she completed a cardiovascular fellowship and remained on faculty for a number of years. At Wake Forest, she served as director of inpatient cardiology and associate dean for admissions.
Dr. Wells serves as director of the Women’s Heart Health program at the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute. At the national level, she is heavily involved in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), an NHLBI-funded study initiated in 1991. This long-term national health study, which enrolled more than 161,000 women between ages 50 and 79 from 1993 to 1998, has identified a number of risk factors and courses of treatment for women for various diseases, including heart disease.
Dr. Wells’ current research focuses on psychologic attributes (e.g. the role of optimism) contributing to cardiovascular disease outcomes and novel approaches to microvascular disease.
Personal Statement
I am a non-invasive cardiologist with expertise in women’s heart health across the lifespan. We know that women have unique cardiac risk factors, some of which are identified in pregnancy. Women also have unique presentations for heart disease. For example, women are at a much higher risk for spontaneous coronary artery dissection (this is where a blood vessel supplying the heart suddenly tears without an explanation) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (these are people with heart failure, but their studies indicate that the heart squeezes fine). What we do know is that most heart disease is preventable. Even if your lifestyle and health history places you at a high risk for heart disease or if you already have heart disease, effective treatment and lifestyle changes can change its course. For most women, heart disease does not need to shorten their lives. In our program, we partner with women to create an individualized plan to meet their needs.
Faculty Rank
Professor of MedicineDegree
University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical School, Birmingham
Residency
Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Fellowship
Cardiology, Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Certifications and Special Training
American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine
National Board of Echocardiography
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Videos
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Publications
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Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Does Sex Matter?
Wells GL. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2016 Jul 22.
View Publication
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Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Does Sex Matter?
Wells GL. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2016 Jul 22.
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Ratings & Reviews
The star rating is a calculation based on feedback from our patients using our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
December, 2019
Good.November, 2019
I had a question that emailed to nurse for her to ck with dr wells. she replied in less than24 hrs and called in script for me to pick up. also during visit used a model of heart to explain in simple detail one of issues with my heart and the plan for 6 mo follow up with an echo. she explained this would be done the week before my appt with her. a team of cardiologists including dr Wells will review and discuss the results of the echo.November, 2019
Great. Very professional.October, 2019
Great Team!!!!!October, 2019
Very good -Are you happy with the care you received from this provider?Please let us know by filling out a patient satisfaction survey when you get one. You can also leave an online review by clicking the button below.
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Listen to Podcasts about Women's Heart Health
Behind the Blue, Women's heart health - Feb. 10, 2017
Learn the differences between men and women with heart disease
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Locations
Gill Heart & Vascular Institute–Good Samaritan
Gill Heart & Vascular Institute - Maxwell
UK Good Samaritan Medical Office Building
125 E. Maxwell St.
Second Floor, Suite 200
Lexington, KY 40508Fax 859-257-9461Call 859-323-3231
This is a clinic of the University of Kentucky Hospital, also known as UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital. Read more »
Insurance Information
Insurance policies can vary widely. Please check with your doctor/clinic for specific insurance information before your visit or procedure to avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs. See list of insurers
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