You might think heart attacks don’t discriminate, but that’s not actually true. They do discriminate — and it’s a form of discrimination that’s killing women.

Believe it or not, women are actually more likely to die and more likely to die young as a result of a heart attack, and it’s because they don’t always experience the classic heart attack warning signs.

You know the big one: chest pain. That sudden pain is a direct and urgent message from the body that something’s wrong — and you need to get to the hospital.

But according to a study of more than 1.4 million heart patients tracked for up to 12 years, only 58 percent of women experience chest pain during a heart attack. Compare that to 70 percent of men who feel chest pain, and it’s not hard to see why women are 40 percent more likely to die as a result.

They simply never had a fair chance in the first place.

Overall, the study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that 10.3 percent of men who experience heart attacks die as a result of them, versus 14.6 percent of women — with the biggest increase in risk among younger women, especially those 55 years old or younger.

Because they feel just about anything other than chest pain, these women are more likely to blame their symptoms on just about anything else: the flu, nerve or muscle pain, simple stress or something else entirely.

So instead of getting help, they pop a few painkillers or go lay down for a little while.

And some of them never get back up.

Don’t let this happen to you or your loved ones. Make it your mission to get to know the rest of the heart attack warning signs, which include:

• Pain or a numb sensation in other parts of the body — including the jaw, arms, stomach or back;
• Sudden fatigue;
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath;
• Dizziness;
• Nausea, vomiting and/or stomachache;
• Anxiety;
• Lightheadedness; and
• A cold sweat.

Don’t wait to see if these symptoms pass. Get help — especially if you’re younger and especially if you’re thinking “I couldn’t possibly be having a heart attack.”

That’s the kind of attitude that’s clearly getting people killed.

For more on heart protection, keep reading.

You probably don’t spend much time at all thinking about how fast you walk or how strong your grip is.

But maybe you should — because a new study shows how these basic tests could help predict serious health problems years down the road.

Researchers from the Boston Medical Center measured the grip strength, walking speeds and cognitive function of more than 2,400 people with an average age of 62, and then tracked them for an average of 11 years.

They found that the slowest-walking volunteers who were middle aged at the start of the study were 50 percent more likely to face dementia 11 years later than faster walkers.

Slower walkers also had less overall brain volume — another dementia warning sign — and did worse on memory, language and decision-making tests, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.

That should be enough to make you want to pick up the pace as you walk — and while you’re at it, you might want to work on a firmer handshake, too: The study also found that people with a stronger grip at the age of 65 had a 42 percent lower risk of a stroke or mini stroke than those with weaker grips.

That strong grip was also linked to larger brain volume and better performance on some cognitive tests.

It’s not the first study to link the telltale signs of frailty to poor health. One study from just a few months back found that people who walk the slowest have a much higher risk of an early death. Other studies have found that slower walkers are more likely to face heart attacks and other heart-related problems.

It’s not the walk or grip itself that’s causing any of this, of course. These conditions are often the subtle early warning signs of physical or neurological problems — and it might not always be obvious even to yourself when you’ve lost a step or two or let loose on your grip.

But if you find yourself lagging behind your friends or you don’t quite feel the power you used to, don’t ignore it. Get yourself checked out now so you don’t have to face these other problems later.

It’s no secret that people with clean teeth and healthy gums have a lower risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems, and two new studies again confirm the link.

In the first, researchers in Taiwan found that people who get a scaling done less than every two years have a 24-percent lower risk of a heart attack and a 13-percent lower risk of a stroke than people who never get the procedure.

Now, if you’re asking, “what’s a scaling,” then I’d say you’re probably overdue for one.

It’s basically a more intense cleaning that goes between the teeth and under the gums — and as someone who’s spent plenty of time squirming in that vinyl chair, I can tell you that it’ll hurt a bit if you’ve slacked off on the flossing.

You don’t need to get scaled every year to get the benefits, though. The researchers say their review of data on more than 100,000 patients found that those who had the procedure every other year were still 13 percent less likely to have a heart attack and 9 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who never had it done.

In a second new study, researchers in Sweden found that people who suffer from more gum infections have a 53-percent higher risk of heart attack than those with fewer gum infections, and people who have bleeding gums have a higher risk of stroke.

The same study found that people who lose 11 teeth or more for whatever reason have a 69-percent higher risk of heart attack than people with all or most of their chompers. Those who lost the most teeth also had a higher risk of congestive heart failure.

Obviously, you put it all together and it’s important to keep your mouth clean — and not just to avoid bad breath, painful cavities, and the loss of your teeth.

But don’t just rush off to any old dentist. Take the time to find someone who can care for your teeth without the use of fluoride and mercury, and with minimal use of X-rays.

A good place to start your search is with the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology.

You already know how testosterone can bring your sex life back from the dead. Now, the latest research shows how it can keep the rest of you out of the grave as well.

In fact, this manly hormone can slash your risk of two of the greatest killers of seniors: heart attack and stroke.

Swedish researchers examined testosterone levels of some 2,400 men in their 70s and 80s, then tracked them for an average of five years.

Over that time, they found that men in the top 25 percent of testosterone levels had a 30 percent lower risk of cardiovascular problems including heart disease, heart attack and stroke than everyone else — and that’s even after adjusting for risk factors including weight, diabetes and a previous history of heart attack and stroke.

The study doesn’t go as far as to prove that testosterone is the reason for the stronger hearts — but it’s certainly not the first to make the link.

A study last year found that men in their 70s and 80s with the lowest levels of testosterone were more likely to have at least three of five signs of failing health — including heart disease, chronic fatigue, and difficulties getting around.

Another study even found that men with the lowest levels were most likely to die younger.

Clearly, you need this stuff… even if you think you’re no longer interested in sex. Now, the question is how to get it — because if you’re past middle age, you almost certainly need more.

First thing’s first: Head to a physician experienced in natural hormones. He can check your levels, find out where you are, and give you what you need the right way.