Monday, July 24, 2006; Posted:  10:30 a.m. (CDT)

More than a quarter of a million women die of a heart attack each year in the United States. The problem? Many women ignore important symptoms, putting their well-being unneccessarily at risk.

Stomach or back pain may seem like ordinary ailments to some women, but they could be vital warning signs of a heart attack.

Dr. Nieca Goldberg, Author, "The Women's Healthy Heart Program", says, "She doesn't necessarily have to be clutching her chest, she can have breathlessness without any chest discomfort, sometimes the pressure is lower down in her chest and women easily say, oh it's a stomach problem, it will go away, I have other things to worry about."

The American Heart Association says denial is typical for women who may not be aware they have symptoms of a heart attack.

Women don't always experience classic symptoms. They may complain about nausea and vomiting, unexplained fatigue, and back and jaw pain. They symptoms could last for weeks.

Dr. Nieca Goldberg, Author, "The Women's Healthy Heart Program", says, "In a woman who is having a heart attack, probably as much as six weeks before she's actually had the heart attack, she's actually had a warning sign."

Goldberg says ignoring those signs could be a fatal mistake if you don't get medical help immediately.