Perhaps coronary heart disease has not been taken seriously enough in women

Professor Michael Davies

Speaking at the British Cardiac Society conference in Glasgow, Professor Davies said: "If women start adopting risk factors like smoking they are going to get coronary heart disease.

"I think there is evidence that perhaps coronary heart disease has not been taken seriously enough in women.

"Very broadly, women are beginning to adopt the same lifestyles as men and if you do that you are going to get the same diseases."

Poor outcomes

Professor Davies said doctors, and women themselves had a tendency to believe they were immune from heart disease.

This had led to later diagnosis in women - and a worse outcome.

Many doctors believe that the female sex hormone oestrogen acts to protect women against heart disease.

However, Professor Davies said that protective effect was being nullified by unhealthy lifestyles.

He said: "It's true that oestrogens protect. On the whole women tend to get coronary heart disease later than men, but that's becoming less striking and that picture is going to become more confused and probably the distinction is going to start breaking down."

Professor Davies said steps were being taken to improve care of women with heart disease.

He praised the government's approach to tackling social inequality as the right way to try to improve health.

Poverty, poor diet including too many fatty foods and too few fresh vegetables and fruit, combined to produce circumstances in which ill-health was likely to flourish.