Stroke

“Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death for women.
In the United States, 1 in 5 women
between the ages of 55 and 75 will have a stroke”.¹

Umbrella
What may the Stroke Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

Brain Attack
Brain Stroke
Cardiovascular Disease
Cerebral Hemorrhage
Cerebral Infarction
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Ischemic Stroke
Stroke

Definition

What is a stroke?

DotS the definition of a stroke may vary. The American Stroke Association’s (ASA) definition is:

“A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die”.²

Cause

What causes a stroke?

In About Stroke the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) elaborate on:

“A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.

In either case, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death”.³

Risk Factors

What are risk factors for stroke?

In Stroke – Causes, Signs & Symptoms: What Increases My Chance of Having A Stroke? the British Heart Foundation (BHF) explain what risk factors are and note:

“A risk factor increases your chance of developing a condition. Risk factors for a stroke are similar to those for heart diseases, such as angina or heart attacks”.⁴

Atrial Fibrillation

Is atrial fibrillation (AF) a risk factor for stroke?

Yes. In Stroke – Causes, Signs & Symptoms: What Increases My Chance of Having A Stroke? the BHF also note:

“If you have an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AF) your risk of stroke is increased. This is because AF increases the risk of a blood clot forming inside the top chambers of your heart. If this happens, it can travel to your brain and block the blood flow to your brain”.⁵

African American Women

Are African American women at higher risk for stroke?

In Women and Stroke – Why Are African American Women At Higher Risk for Stroke? the CDC elaborate on:

“Stroke is a leading cause of death among African American women, who are more likely to die from a stroke than non-Hispanic White women or Hispanic women in the United States. African Americans have the highest rate of death due to stroke among all racial and ethnic groups.

Almost 3 in 5 African American women are diagnosed with high blood pressure (greater than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg), which is a much higher proportion than White women (almost 2 in 5)”.⁶

Common Symptoms

What are the most common symptoms of a stroke?

In Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs): What Are Common Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease? the World Health Organization elaborate on:

“The most common symptom of a stroke is sudden weakness of the face, arm, or leg, most often on one side of the body. Other symptoms include sudden onset of:

Numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
Confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech
Difficulty seeing with one or both eyes
Difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Severe headache with no known cause; and
Fainting or unconsciousness.

People experiencing these symptoms should seek medical care immediately”.⁷

Women’s Symptoms

What symptoms may women report that are different from the common symptoms?

In Symptoms of a Stroke In Women and Men: How Do I Know If I’m Having A Stroke? Additional Stroke Symptoms In Women the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women elaborate on:

“General weakness
Disorientation and confusion or memory problems
Fatigue
Nausea or vomiting”.⁸

Emergency Numbers

Can different countries have different emergency telephone numbers?

Different countries can have different emergency telephone numbers. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what your country’s emergency telephone number is.

High Blood Pressure

Is there an association between high blood pressure (HBP) and stroke?

In Risk Factors Under Your Control: High Blood Pressure the ASA note:

“High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a leading cause of stroke and the most significant controllable risk factor. Know your numbers and keep them low. Manage HBP”.⁹

Common or Not

How common is stroke?

In the United States according to the CDC:

“Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of serious disability for adults. It is also preventable and treatable”.¹⁰

Women

In women, how common is stroke?

In Women and Stroke the CDC elaborate on:

“Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death for women. In the United States, 1 in 5 women between the ages of 55 and 75 will have a stroke.

Surprised? You’re not alone. Many women do not know their risk of having a stroke”.¹¹

Affect

How may a person be affected by stroke?

In Effects of Stroke the ASA explain:

“The effects of a stroke depend on several factors, including the location of the obstruction and how much brain tissue is affected. However, because one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body, a stroke affecting one side will result in neurological complications on the side of the body it affects”.¹²

WISEWOMAN

What is the (United States) WISEWOMAN program?

In WISEWOMAN the CDC elaborate on:

“The WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for WOMen Across the Nation) program was created to help women understand and reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke by providing services to promote lasting heart-healthy lifestyles. Working with low-income, uninsured and underinsured women aged 40 to 64 years, the program provides heart disease and stroke risk factor screenings and services that promote healthy behaviors”.¹³

Health Care Provider

What if I think I am at risk of stroke or I have a family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD)?

If you think you are at risk of stroke or you have a family history of CVD, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Cardiovascular Diseases the authors note:

“Screening for CVD at regular intervals after menopause is extremely important. This includes measurement of blood pressure, lipids and perhaps inflammatory markers, BMI, and ascertainment of lifestyle factors such as activity level and smoking status. In addition, a family history of heart disease and stroke is important”.¹⁴

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Stroke?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Stroke?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

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New or Updated

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

Women and Stroke. Page Last Reviewed: 28 June 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/women.htm Accessed: 19 February 2023
About Stroke: What Is Stroke? American Stroke Association https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke Accessed: 19 February 2023
About Stroke. Page Last Reviewed: 02 November 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/about.htm Accessed: 19 February 2023
Stroke – Causes, Signs & Symptoms: What Increases My Chance of Having A Stroke? Page Last Reviewed: November 2019. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/stroke Accessed: 19 February 2023
Stroke – Causes, Signs & Symptoms: What Increases My Chance of Having A Stroke? Page Last Reviewed: November 2019. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/stroke Accessed: 19 February 2023
Women and Stroke: Why Are African American Women At Higher Risk for Stroke? Page Last Reviewed: 28 June 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/women.htm Accessed: 19 February 2023
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD): What Are Common Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease? 11 June 2021. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds) Accessed: 19 February 2023
Symptoms of a Stroke In Women and Men: How Do I Know If I’m Having A Stroke? Additional Stroke Symptoms In Women. Last Reviewed: 15 September 2020. American Stroke Association https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/signs-and-symptoms-in-women/symptoms-of-a-stroke Accessed: 19 February 2023
Risk Factors Under Your Control: High Blood Pressure. Last Reviewed: 17 June 2021. American Stroke Association https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/stroke-risk-factors/risk-factors-under-your-control Accessed: 19 February 2023
Stroke. Page Last Reviewed: 15 February 2023. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/ Accessed: 19 February 2023
Women and Stroke. Page Last Reviewed: 28 June 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/women.htm Accessed: 19 February 2023
Effects of Stroke. American Stroke Association https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/effects-of-stroke Accessed: 19 February 2023
WISEWOMAN. Page Last Reviewed: 10 February 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/index.htm Accessed: 19 February 2023
Lobo, R. A., Davis, S. R., De Villiers, T. J., Gompel, A., Henderson, V. W., Hodis, H. N., Lumsden, M. A., Mack, W. J., Shapiro, S. and Baber, R. J. Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Cardiovascular Diseases. 2014:7 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-white-pages-english.pdf Accessed: 19 February 2023

Stroke

Stroke

“Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death for women.
In the United States, 1 in 5 women
between the ages of 55 and 75 will have a stroke”.¹

Definition

Cause

Risk Factors

Atrial Fibrillation

African American Women

Common Symptoms

Women’s Symptoms

Emergency Numbers

High Blood Pressure

Common or Not

Women

Affect

WISEWOMAN

Health Care Provider