Doctors Less Likely to Catch Strokes in Women

According to an article from Prevention Magazine, doctors often overlook women’s stroke risk, leaving them more vulnerable to the life-threatening condition than men.

Today researchers are working hard to raise awareness of female risk factors for stroke, also called “brain attacks.”

Dr. Lewis Morgenstern, MD, director of the stroke program at the University of Michigan Medical School, told Prevention, “We all learned in medical school that strokes and heart attacks are male problems. The reality is far different.”

In fact, women aged 45-54 are twice as likely as their male counterparts to suffer a stroke. However, a woman’s symptoms are usually diagnosed slower and treated less aggressively than a man’s.

Don’t allow you or your loved one to loss precious time because of this gender gap! The moments that pass between the stroke’s onset to treatment could be the difference between life and death or permanent impaired. Stoke misdiagnosis occurs every day, but the more you know about the risk factors and symptoms of a stoke, the better prepared you will be to handle this emergency situation.

If you have any of these risk factors, talk to your doctor about taking steps to reduce your chance of having a stroke:

• Having High Cholesterol
• Being on Birth Control Pills Could Double Your Risk
• Undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Suffering from Sleep Apnea
• Suffering Migraine Headaches with Aura
• Having a Blood-Clotting Disorder

Look for these tell-tale stroke warning signs:

• Sudden Numbness or Weakness in the Face, Arms, Legs or One Side of Your Body
• Sudden Confusion, Trouble Speaking or Understanding
• Sudden Difficulty Seeing Through One or Both Eyes
• Sudden Dizziness, Disorientation or Difficultly Walking

If you or someone you know if suffering from these sudden on-set symptoms seek medical attention immediately. The faster they receive treatment, the better their chances for recovery.

We all know what we can do live healthier, safer lives- getting regular exercise, eating plenty of fish and veggies, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and, of course, not smoking! However, making a change in lifestyle can be overwhelming and difficult. If you are having trouble, enlist your doctor’s help and try to find a buddy that is ready to make the change with you- this isn’t something you have to do on your own!