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Stroke is a man’s disease, right? Not so fast. It’s true that during middle age men have a higher risk than women. But rates even out in older adults, neurologist Cheryl Bushnell, M.D., stroke division chief at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, wrote in a 2023 review of the research. Among U.S. women, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strokes have been blamed for killing about twice as many women as breast cancer each year.
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Stroke is an emergency that requires fast action. It’s important to know the signs, know what to do and, even better, know how you can try and prevent it.
Cut Your Risk
About 80 percent of strokes are preventable, according to the CDC. There are things women can do to help reduce their risk:
- Controlling high blood pressure is crucial.
- Stop smoking. It’s also a good idea to avoid e-cigarettes.
- Talk to your doctor about your cholesterol levels.
- Increase physical activity to 30 minutes of moderate activity a day.
- Eat a healthy DASH or Mediterranean diet.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Control diabetes. Keep blood sugar under control.
- Avoid heavy (average three or more drinks per day) alcohol intake.
- Get good quality sleep. If you have sleep apnea, discuss treatment with your doctor.
There are two main types of strokes that occur in men and women
- Ischemic stroke is the most common, accounting for about 85 percent of strokes. It happens when a vessel carrying blood to the brain is blocked by a clot or a build-up of fatty plaque.
- Hemorrhagic stroke is less common, but more severe. It’s caused when a blood vessel in or on the brain leaks or bursts, releasing blood into the brain. The blood itself can damage brain tissue and can cause pressure to build up in the brain, leading to further damage.
- Don’t forget ministroke, also called a TIA for transient ischemic attack. It’s like a tiny warning stroke. Ministrokes occur when a blood vessel is blocked briefly so symptoms are temporary. People may not even realize they’ve had one because the symptoms can be very mild and don’t last long, sometimes only a few minutes or a day. For this reason, people often dismiss them, not realizing their seriousness. But it’s important to get medical attention right away because a more serious stroke may be in the cards. The risk of stroke or other serious adverse event is about 20 percent in the 90 days after a TIA, if untreated. Symptoms of a ministroke can include weakness or numbness on one side of the body, slurred speech or difficulty understanding others, vision changes in one or both eyes and dizziness.
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When it comes to stroke, women can face extra challenges. Their symptoms might be harder to recognize and they’re less likely to get quick treatment — often because they don’t seek out treatment. Women are often older when they have a stroke, and therefore may suffer worse effects afterward.
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