In women, especially those under the age of 50, coronary artery disease is unusual in the absence of diabetes or hypertension. Yet precordial pain simulating angina pectoris is a very common symptom. Although experienced clinicians have been aware of this fact for years, it is overlooked again and again in daily practice and many mistaken diagnoses result. During the past seven years in an office practice representing largely patients referred for cardiovascular diagnosis, we have seen 1,672 women, of whom 169, or 10.1 per cent, had coronary artery disease. In the same period we saw 2,135 men, of whom 1,059, or 49.6 per cent, had coronary artery disease. The frequency is 4.9 times as great in men as in women. Of the 169 cases in women, 125, or 74 per cent, were associated with hypertension alone, twenty-five,or 14.8 per cent, with both diabetes and hypertension, and six, or 3.5 per