MemorialCare Health System Did You Know?

More Women Die From Stroke Than Men

According to studies, 60 percent of women who have strokes will die from it, compared to 40 percent of men.

Women and men are different, and so are their signs/symptoms for stroke. According to the National Stroke Association:

• 425,000 women suffer from stroke each year, 55,000 more than men.
• Stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer every year.
• Only 27 percent of women could name more than two of the six primary stroke symptoms.
• Seven out of 10 women said they are not aware they are more likely than men to have a stroke, and were not at all or only somewhat knowledgeable about risk factors.
• African-American women suffer from a significantly higher number of strokes than Caucasian women, yet African American women were less likely to correctly identify what causes a stroke compared to Caucasian women.
• Stroke is a leading cause of death for Hispanic women but Hispanic women were significantly less aware of stroke symptoms than Caucasian women.

Prevention of stroke is key – 80 percent of all strokes can be prevented through managing/reducing risk factors.

The more a woman knows about her specific risk factors and about the signs/symptoms of stroke the more she can focus on prevention.

Women are encouraged to schedule cardiovascular screenings beginning at age 25 to address risk factors and disease just like their annual pap smear and breast exams. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, high-stress environment as well as family history are all risk factors for stroke.

Women who suffer from stroke tend to have different or additional symptoms. The National Stroke Association has reported that women may suffer from the following:

• Sudden face and limb pain
• Sudden hiccups
• Sudden nausea
• Sudden general weakness
• Sudden chest pain
• Sudden shortness of breath
• Sudden palpitations

Other symptoms commonly seen in both men and women include:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg — especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

Potentially life saving medication can be administered within three hours of the sudden symptom onset to reverse stroke. If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately and note the time of when any of the symptoms first appear.

Find out if you are at risk for a stroke

Sings/symptoms compiled from the National Stroke Association.