Why strokes are more prevalent in women
A person experiences a stroke every 40 seconds, and a person dies from a stroke every four minutes, the Stroke Awareness Foundation reported.
Emphasizing that in the United States alone, the foundation said nearly 795,000 people experience a stroke each year, but that 80% of strokes can be prevented.
A stroke occurs when “the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes,” per the Mayo Clinic.
In a recent study published in The Lancet Neurology, researchers studied potential solutions to reducing the number of strokes that occur each year and hopefully “tackle the burden of stroke by 2030 and beyond.”
Stroke ranks as the fifth most common cause of death among women in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Adding that, “1 in 5 women between the ages of 55 and 75 will have a stroke.”
There are specific factors and circumstances that can make some women more susceptible to stroke than men and other women.
Living longer
Women generally live longer than men, and age is a significant risk factor for stroke. The older one gets, the higher the risk. Since there are more elderly women than men, in sheer numbers, more women experience strokes.
“As people get older, they are more likely to experience high blood pressure, high cholesterol, plaque buildup, wear and tear of their arteries and poorer blood sugar control, all of which contribute to strokes,” Dr. Daniel Hermann, an interventional cardiologist, told The New York Times.
Related
Changes in hormones
Postmenopausal women are more likely to experience increased blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke.
According to a study published in PubMed Central, “Systolic blood pressure rises more steeply in aging women compared with men, and this may be related to the hormonal changes per se during menopause.”
Women also experience a spike in blood pressure during pregnancy, increasing their stroke risk.
The National Institute of Aging said that a healthy blood pressure is a “systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80.”
However, the CDC said, “More than 2 in 5 women have blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg or are taking medicine to control their blood pressure. Only about 1 in 4 of those women have their blood pressure controlled to below 130/80 mm Hg.”
Weight gain
Many women gain weight during the menopausal transition or during pregnancy, which can lead to other risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes and atherosclerosis, all of which increase the risk of stroke.
According to Verywell Health, you can considerably lower your stroke chances by shedding pounds and adopting healthier living practices.
“Being overweight also leads to metabolic syndrome — characterized by high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high blood sugar,” Verywell Health said. “Over time, these conditions harm the blood vessels of the brain and the heart and increase the risk that a blood clot will form and travel to the brain —resulting in stroke.
A study published in Springer Link found that when comparing individuals with metabolic syndrome to those without it, those with metabolic syndrome are at a risk of experiencing a stroke three times more.
While menopause can increase the risk factors associated with stroke, not all postmenopausal women will experience a stroke.
Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and management of medical conditions play significant roles in determining overall risk. Regular medical check-ups, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and monitoring and treating risk factors can help reduce the risk of stroke post-menopause.
