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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
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Women are more likely than men to die of stroke. While many people believe that stroke affects only the elderly and the overweight, anyone at any age can be at risk for stroke. Here is what you should know about the risk factors and how to treat them.
The good news is that the most common risk factors for stroke are ones that can be treated and controlled:
High blood pressure is one of the most significant risk factors for stroke. There are usually no symptoms or early warning signs of high blood pressure. The best way to ensure that your blood pressure is normal (about 120/80 mm Hg) is to have it checked regularly.
Studies show that cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for stroke, but the consequences of smoking are the most preventable. The carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood.
Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or is unable to use the insulin it does make. Many diabetes patients have other health problems such as high cholesterol and blood pressure. When these health issues are combined with diabetes, the risk for stroke is increased.
Since your carotid artery (in your neck) supplies blood directly to the brain, if this artery is damaged by atherosclerosis (fatty buildup of plaque in the artery wall), it can become blocked by a clot, which may result in a stroke.
People with heart problems are at risk for stroke two times more than those whose hearts work normally. Rapid, uncontrolled beating in the heart's upper chamber raises the risk for stroke. Heart attack is also a major cause of death among stroke survivors.
Although stroke is more common in men than women, more women at older ages have strokes, and at all ages women are more likely to die of stroke. For women, other risk factors can have a direct impact on stroke:
Women are more likely to experience migraine headaches than men. Women who suffer from migraines with auras (visual interruptions such as blind spots or flashing dots) can be at a much higher risk of having a stroke, according to recent research.
Oral contraceptives are safe options for birth control, but the risk of stroke increases significantly for women who use these contraceptives and are smokers, as well as those are older than age 35.
Learn what factors put you at greater risk of stroke such as family history, high blood pressure, diabetes, and increasing age, and how to modify your lifestyle to lessen risks.
This article was originally published in the May 2006 issue of Smart Health - Northeast Ohio's Health and Wellness Magazine Just For Women, and was adapted for use on NetWellness with permission, 2006.
Last Reviewed: Sep 06, 2008
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Gwendolyn F Lynch, MD Assistant Professor Cerebrovascular Center University Hospitals School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University |
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Esa M Davis, MD, MPH Assistant Professor Department of Family Medicine University Hospitals School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University |
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Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) 
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