New data has revealed Australian women are receiving heart attack treatment later than their male counterparts, or not at all.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the country.

Despite around 20 Australian females dying of heart disease every day, women are less likely to get advice on managing their heart disease, less likely to be referred to cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack and far more likely to be misdiagnosed.

Julie Anne Mitchell from the Heart Foundation told Deborah Knight this data shows women are being left behind.

“When most people think about heart disease or heart attacks, it’s a male image that comes to mind.

“Warning signs of a heart attack in women can be more subtle.

“They don’t recognise it themselves and even when they present to their doctor, their doctor sometimes is thinking menopause, anxiety, other issues, before they lock-on to thinking this woman could be having a heart attack.”

Ms Mitchell said while more could be done to raise the issue with women, “there’s no simple fix”.

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Image: Getty