Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, said  "Part of the reason women fare so badly immediately after a heart attack may be because they delay treatment and have more heart damage," Goldberg said.

Doctors must treat women more aggressively for risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, she said. "We have to encourage women to be aware of symptoms and go to the hospital. Don't think about it -- call 911."