Eve Simmons Health & Wellness Editor Dailymail.Com
October 28, 2023 12:14, updated October 28, 2023 12:14
Symptoms of stroke differ by gender, a New York City surgeon has warned.
The well-known symptoms, such as unilateral numbness and slurred speech, primarily affect men.
But for women, the red flags tend to be more subtle, according to a video shared by Dr. Erin Nance of Lenox Hill Hospital.
She added that ignorance about gender disparities puts women at risk of misdiagnosis. The best outcomes are seen in patients treated within three hours of the onset of symptoms.
“If you wait seven or eight hours to get to the hospital, you reduce your chances of an already good recovery.”
Importantly, women account for the majority (60%) of stroke deaths in the United States.
Research shows that women are also more likely to have seizures, which occur when blood supply to the brain is cut off.
According to , approximately 55,000 more women than men suffer a stroke each year in the United States. the study.
“Women are 33 percent more likely to be misdiagnosed when they have an acute stroke,” Dr. Nance said in a video posted. TikTok channel.
“Most women who are misdiagnosed are told they have anxiety or migraines.”
She went on to identify “symptoms unique to stroke in women,” including “loss of consciousness or syncope, weakness in one arm or leg as well as general weakness.”
“Confused, unresponsive, disoriented,” she added. Perhaps the most surprising symptom is a “sudden change in behavior,” including agitation and hallucinations.
“Nausea, vomiting, seizures, or even hiccups.”
Dr. Nance said women can also experience typical symptoms of a stroke, such as weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, and a drooping face.
“However, these unique symptoms are often missed when a person presents to the emergency department when they are not feeling well and stroke is not their first choice for diagnosis.”
It’s not entirely clear why stroke symptoms differ in men and women, but some research suggests it may be related to differences in the size of the blood vessels that serve the brain. This affects the areas of the brain affected by nutrient deficiencies and causes a variety of symptoms.
One high-profile woman who has suffered a devastating attack is model Hailey Bieber, who suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini-stroke, in March 2022.
The 26-year-old, who is married to pop megastar Justin Bieber, was hospitalized after suffering sudden severe pain in her arm and losing the ability to speak.
Subsequent tests revealed that she had suffered a stroke, but it eventually resolved on its own. The cause turned out to be a small blood clot that had reached her brain through an abnormal gap between the upper chambers of her heart.
There are many reasons why women are at higher risk of stroke than men. For example, oral contraceptives, which about 230 million American women take, can contribute to high blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke.
“This doesn’t mean women should stop taking oral contraceptives,” Dr. Nance says. “This means that if you have stroke-like symptoms and are taking oral contraceptives, you should tell your doctor right away because you’re concerned you might be having a stroke.”
Pregnancy and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which just under half of postmenopausal women take to relieve symptoms such as hot flashes, can also cause increased blood pressure.
Stroke is not the only cardiovascular disease that affects men and women differently.
Research has found that heart attack symptoms vary by gender, with women much more likely to experience less common signs, such as indigestion, shortness of breath, and back pain.
Women are also less likely than men to experience chest pain in the minutes before a heart attack.
Widespread misconceptions about women’s symptoms are thought to be one reason why women are up to twice as likely to die in the years following a heart attack.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing approximately 310,000 women each year. CDC.
