Dying untreated and undiagnosed

Heart disease is number one killer of women, 33 experts warn | Men more likely to get attention due to society bias

- MARTIN BAGOT

MISTAKEN beliefs about heart disease means it is under diagnosed and undertreated in women, who die unnecessarily from the condition, experts have warned.

Academics say there is a misconception it is a man's disease but it is the number one killer for women, claiming more lives a year than breast cancer.

The warning is issued in a "consensus statement" by 33 experts linked to the British Cardiovascular Society, published in the journal Heart.

Lead author Prof Vijay Kunadian, of Newcastle University, said: "Heart disease, in particular coronary artery disease, is the number one killer for women in the UK and worldwide.