Introduccion: la Enfermedad Coronaria (EC) es la causa numero uno de muerte en el mundo occidental, e importante problema de salud publica con trascendencia mundial. A su vez la angina de pecho es la manifestacion clinica del Sindrome Coronario Agudo (SCA). Objetivo: describir la percepcion, evaluacion y respuesta a la presencia del sintoma angina de pecho, en mujeres que tuvieron SCA. Metodologia: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal realizado a conveniencia en 100 mujeres que fueron diagnosticadas y tratadas SCA, en un hospital publico de la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. De la historia clinica se tomaron los datos de filiacion y fueron contactadas para una visita domiciliaria, consentimiento informado y aplicacion de formulario que incluia datos sociodemograficos e instrumento sobre la experiencia del sintoma angina de pecho, elaborado por Cespedes, quien se baso en la experiencia del Modelo Conceptual de Dodd. La estadistica descriptiva fue expresada en promedios y datos porcentuales. Resultados: Participaron 100 mujeres con edad promedio de 69 anos, pertenecientes mayormente a estratos socioeconomicos medio-bajo y bajo, que habian presentado previamente SCA. Un tercio con escolaridad primaria incompleta, 28% en convivencia como union libre y la mitad incluidas en el regimen de seguridad social contributivo. La experiencia del sintoma angina de pecho en mujeres fue en el 51% como sintoma tipico y en el 49% como atipico. El 64% evaluaron la manifestacion como un problema cardiaco y en lo referente a la severidad el 38% lo relaciono con la sensacion de muerte. Ante la presencia del dolor, tomaron remedios caseros el 41%, lo ignoraron el 36% y respiraron profundamente otro 35%. Al decidir solicitar atencion, fueron a un centro de urgencias el 76%. Nueve de cada diez, informaron que el dia que presentaron la angina de pecho como manifestacion del SCA, demoraron menos de una hora en llegar al consultorio y demorar menos de una hora en ser atendidos, desde el establecimiento del sintoma. Conclusion: la mitad de las mujeres evaluadas, percibieron el sintoma angina de pecho como manifestacion atipica. Aunque importante proporcion lo evaluaron como de origen cardiaco, un tercio lo ignoraron inicialmente. La asistencia al profesional de la salud y la atencion brindada por estos, fue notoriamente elevada antes de una hora de instaurada la angina de pecho. Rev.cienc.biomed. 2014;5(2):272-280. PALABRAS CLAVE Angina de pecho; Sindrome coronario agudo; Dolor en el pecho. SUMMARY Introduction: The coronary heart disease (CHD) is the cause number one of death in the occidental world and it is an important problem of public health with worldwide significance. In turn, the angina pectoris is the clinical symptom of the acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Objective: To describe the perception, assessment and response to the presence of the symptom angina pectoris in women who had ACS. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study carried out to convenience in 100 women who were diagnosed and managed as ACS in a public hospital of the city of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Of the medical record were taken the identity data and they were contacted for a home visit, to deal with informed consent, to apply a socio demographic data form and the tool about the experience of the symptom angina pectoris developed by Cespedes, who based it, in the experience of the conceptual model of Marilyn Dodd. The descriptive statistic was expressed in averages and percent data. Results: 100 women with average age of 69 years old, belonging principally to medium-low and low socioeconomic strata who had previously presented ACS participated. A third of them with incomplete primary education, 28% in civil union and half of them included in contributive health regimen. The experience of the symptom angina pectoris in women was 51% as typical symptom and 49% as atypical symptom. 64% of women assessed the symptom as a cardiac problem and according to the severity, 38% considered it as sensation of death. In front of the presence of the pain, 41% of women took house medicines, 36% ignored it and the other 35% breathed deeply. 76% of women decided to go to an emergency center. Nine of each ten informed that the day in which they presented angina pectoris as symptom of ACS, they delayed less than one hour to arrive to the doctor´s office and less of one hour in being attended, since the beginning of the symptom. Conclusion: Half of the evaluated women perceived the symptom angina pectoris as atypical symptom. Although an important number of them considered it as of cardiac origin and a third initially ignored it. The assistance to the physician and the afforded attention was glaringly high before of one hour since the beginning of the angina pectoris. Rev.cienc.biomed. 2014;5(2):272-280. KEYWORDS Angina pectoris; Acute coronary syndrome; Chest pain.