MADRID, 3 One. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Women are 39 percent more likely to die per year after a first stroke. The sex difference was due to older age and more serious strokes in women, according to a new study published in the scientific journal ‘Journal of Women’s Health’.
In the research, conducted by researchers from the Monash Health School of Clinical Sciences (United States), among women and men with a first stroke, women were approximately 7 years older. Additionally, 9.3 percent fewer women were able to walk independently upon admission to the hospital, suggesting a more serious stroke.
“Among those who died from any cause, men had more deaths from cancer (12% vs. 6% women) and ischemic heart disease (8% vs. 6% women), while women had more deaths attributed to stroke ( 50% vs. 41% men) or other cardiovascular diseases (16% vs. 13% men) “, explains one of the study leaders, Dominique Cadilhac.
These researchers showed that women had a 65 percent higher risk of death associated with a stroke. Women were not only more likely to be older at the beginning of their stroke and to have greater severity, but they were also less likely to be treated with aspirin for secondary stroke prevention.
Stroke is the leading cause of death in women, according to data from the Spanish Neurology Society (SEN), due in many cases to the lack of importance they give to their symptoms, doubling the number of deaths from breast cancer and exceeding 14 times deaths from traffic accidents.
Detecting symptoms and acting quickly can save lives and reduce the consequences of having a stroke. The first 3-6 hours after a stroke are key. For every minute that blood circulation in a person’s brain is reduced or stopped, 1.9 million neurons and 14 trillion neuronal connections are lost, and one hour without circulation means a brain aging of 3.6 years.
For example, the fact that the person cannot smile, has a lowered or asymmetrical smile indicates that the person is having a stroke. Other symptoms include not being able to lift one of the arms, loss of strength on one side of the body, trouble speaking, and a sudden, severe headache.
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