Coronary artery disease, the condition that leads to heart attack, is the number one cause of death among women.
According to the American Heart Association, around 55,000 more women than men suffer a stroke, and 60 percent of stroke deaths occur in women.
Yet many times, doctors miss critical warning signs that their heart health is in jeopardy. As two recent studies points out, there appears to be a gender bias among female patients.
More than 200 doctors were given the medical records of a 47-year-old man and 56-year-old woman. They both had symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath and irregular heartbeat.
Most doctors diagnosed them as having the same condition, yet when "stress" was added to the list of symptoms, the heart disease diagnosis for the woman dropped to just 15 percent, but stayed at more than 50 percent for the man.
In addition, more than 67 percent of the physicians referred the male patient to a cardiologist, while less than half referred the female patient. A bias was also present in drug prescriptions for the condition: men received a prescription 47 percent of the time while women received a medication just 13 percent of the time.
According to the American Heart Association, there are several factors that can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke, some are treatable and some are not:
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Heart Problems Misdiagnosed
Women are being misdiagnosed with anxiety disorders instead of heart problems.
 
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Age: As women get older, their risk of heart disease increases.
Heredity: If someone in your close bloodline has suffered from heart disease or stroke, you are more likely to be a victim of the disease as well.
Race: Black women and men in general are more at risk for heart disease than white women and men.
Tobacco smoke: Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the U.S. It increases the risk of ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
High blood cholesterol: High blood cholesterol levels increase the risks of both heart disease and stroke. After age 55, women have a harder time than men at maintaining their cholesterol levels.
High blood pressure: High blood pressure is the most critical risk factor for stroke.
Physical inactivity: Heart disease is almost twice as likely to occur in people who aren't active compared to those who get adequate exercise.
