Most Australian women are unaware of the threat to their health posed by heart disease, a study commissioned by the Heart Foundation has revealed.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's report, which profiles cardiovascular diseases in women, found most women thought heart disease was an issue for old men and not relevant to them.
Eight out of 10 women were unaware of the threat to them of heart disease, the report said.
More than 11,000 women die from heart disease in Australia each year, while more than 226,000 women are living with heart disease.
The report found fewer women than men sought medical help or received treatment for heart disease.
Twenty per cent less money is spent on health care, including hospital services, medical services and medicines, on women with cardiovascular diseases than men with the same conditions, it said.
Women hospitalised with heart disease were only 70 per cent as likely as men to receive a common treatment that helped restore blood flow to their heart, the report said.
Heart Foundation chief executive Dr Lyn Roberts said the report showed more research was needed on the differences in heart disease treatment between the sexes.
"The findings reflect international research showing that women have lower rates of diagnostic procedures and treatment than men," she said in a statement.
The reasons for these differences were not clear, Dr Roberts said.
"Better data collection and electronic health records would ensure health policy makers and health professionals better understand and respond to any discrepancies that may be occurring in the system," she said.
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