Heart disease is America’s No. 1 killer for men and women. Yet, according to an American Heart Association survey, only 13 percent of women consider heart disease their greatest heart risk.

Deaths from heart disease are rising in women but falling in men.

The topic of heart disease and women will be the focus of the talk, “Women and Heart Disease: The Venus Paradox” by local cardiologist Dr. Raman Mitra at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 22, in Room 1001, Wiekamp Hall, Indiana University South Bend.

The “Venus Paradox” is derived from book “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus” and refers to the heart symptoms women experience. These symptoms are often diagnosed by male doctors who are unfamiliar with the different indicators suffered by women.

Mitra will discuss different symptoms that both women and doctors should recognize, diagnostic tests, risk factors and recognition of the early signs of a heart attack.

Mitra is a member of Midwest Cardiovascular Specialists, South Bend. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Prior to come to South Bend, he was an assistant professor medicine and a director of electrophysiology, arrhythmia and pacemaker services at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago.

Although the lecture is free and open to the public, seats are limited. Please call the IU South Bend events office at (574) 239-5111 to reserve seating.

The event is sponsored by IU South Bend, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Pfizer Inc., and the city of South Bend.