Many women wait two to three hours before seeking care for a heart attack, which occurs when clogged arteries deprive the heart of blood. Their symptoms are often milder than men’s and, therefore, may be mistaken for heartburn.

When a woman’s estrogen level decreases during menopause, she is at greater risk for heart disease. “By age 65, women are just as likely as men to have heart attacks, yet more likely to die from them,” says Surendra Avula, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at Advocate Christ Medical Center and Advocate South Suburban Hospital. “For that reason, it’s important women recognize the signs of a heart attack.”

Women tend to experience chest discomfort or feelings of indigestion, shortness of breath, anxiety, fatigue, sweating or nausea. Men, on the other hand, often have crushing chest pain. In addition, women’s heart attacks are usually prompted by mental or emotional stress, whereas men’s attacks are often ignited by physical exertion.

“At the first signs of heart trouble, seek emergency medical attention,” says Cheryl Brody, D.O., a cardiologist at Christ Medical Center and South Suburban Hospital. At most Advocate hospitals, emergency physicians and interventional cardiologists are ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Patients typically receive a blood test to check for cardiac enzymes that leak into the blood, signaling heart damage. They also may receive an electrocardiogram (EKG) to examine the electrical activity of the heart. “If your tests and symptoms suggest you’re having a heart attack, Advocate offers angiogram, an x-ray of the blood vessels, to pinpoint blockages,” says Dr. Avula.

Blockages can be eliminated with coronary angioplasty, a minimally invasive surgery in which a balloon-tipped catheter is placed in the clogged artery to stretch it open. A tiny mesh tube called a stent is often inserted to keep the artery open.

To help prevent heart attacks, however, eat a low-fat diet, exercise regularly and don’t smoke. “With good health habits,” says Dr. Brody, “men and women can ward off heart attacks.”