THEl bond women and stroke it is soon said. UOne in five women have to deal with stroke over the course of life and mortality is double that from breast cancer.
Which women are most at risk of stroke
Stroke is due to breaking or sudden closure of a blood vessel in the brain that damages cells, depriving them of oxygen and nutrition. Though 75 percent of strokes occur after age 65the risk for women it also exists in childbearing age. because various conditioning factors – hormonal, metabolic, genetic – can also occur in young women.
Unfortunately they are few people are aware of the potential danger of the binomial women and stroke. Although the overall incidence of stroke mortality over the past 10-15 years has declined, and about 20 percent of those affected die within a year of the event, post-event survival is on the rise. The number of older women is high remain seriously disabled.
How many know how to recognize a stroke
Two thirds of the Italian population does not know of them symptoms. And the consequences are serious the longer you delay in intervening. And this is the theme launched for October 29 by the campaign # eachminuteisprecious of ALICe. Italy Odv (Association for the Fight against Cerebral Stroke). In fact, October 29 is the international awareness day on the pathology.
How much time do you have to intervene
“For every second that is delayed to intervene after the stroke 32 thousand neurons are burned and 1.9 million for every minute. Stroke of the brain is a pathology closely related to time: the earlier you intervene, the better the results can be obtained thanks to the available therapies. The time window to intervene is 4.5-6 hours at the most, “he explains Valeria Caseprofessor of Neurology and consultant of the Stroke Unit, Santa Maria della Misericordia, of the University of Perugia, past-president from ALICe. Italy Odv.
What are the 7+ 3 symptoms of stroke
Symptoms of stroke are:
numbness of one side of the body or its sudden weakness;
inability to move part of the trunk;
to balance and walk;
crooked mouth;
difficulty speaking or understanding:
double view;
onset of a sudden headache.
In women there are those who speculate that already in the early stages of stroke observe the presence
of pain,
of drowsiness
and difficulty swallowing
Women and stroke: what to watch out for
To increase overall the risk of stroke in women are gender factors: hormonal, genetic, and metabolic.
Period
Early menarche or menopause (before the age of ten and 45, respectively) is a predisposing factor for stroke.
Use of the birth control pill
The risk of suffering a stroke it is low for women who use birth control pillsone in 24,000 women who are prescribed it, but depending on the type of hormone therapy used, the probability varies.
The highest risk for stroke in young women seems to be for whom uses contraceptive drugs that are high in estrogen and progesterone, certainly not the most innovative drugs. It is therefore essential that even for this reason those who take the contraceptive pill consult your gynecologist to evaluate the hormone dosage suited to your profile.
Smoke
Especially the increased risk for stroke in childbearing age is linked to the simultaneous occurrence of several circumstanceswhen for example, in addition to taking the pill, the woman smokes, have high blood pressure or a history of migraines. As for smoking itself, it should be considered that women one cigarette is enough to cause the same damage as three to five cigarettes in humans.
Before and after pregnancy
Having suffered from complications in pregnancy raises the risk of stroke: those who have had a gestational diabetessuffered from hypertension during or shortly after pregnancy, preeclampsia in the final stages of pregnancy it should be carefully followed for one specific prevention with a healthy lifestyle.
Migraine
A woman suffering from migraine with “aura”and that in the at the same time you use oral contraceptives and fumes has a 30 times greater risk to be affected by a stroke, explain the experts of A.LI.CE italia odv. Migraine with aura by itself is an independent risk factor for stroke, both ischemic and hemorrhagic. “This is why women who suffer from migraines with aura, especially if they are smokers, the prescription of traditional contraceptive drugs is currently not recommended»Emphasizes Professor Caso.
How to prevent stroke in menopause
With menopause the metabolic factor is important, the greater tendency to obesity, the possible increase in the levels of triglycerides, total and “bad” cholesterol in the blood, the increase in insulin resistance and blood pressure. A healthy lifestyle is in itself therefore the first tool to break the binomial of women and stroke. The administration of anticoagulant therapies to those who have a high risk of thrombohemolytic diseases, such as stroke, it is another important element of prevention, especially for the elderly population.
Because older women are twice as at risk
Stroke often occurs in old age and as women statistically live longer than men, the potential to experience it is higher: after the age of 75 a woman is more likely to have a stroke that gives a heart attack.
These circumstances unfortunately also make it the consequences of a stroke are heavier in women: being affected when perhaps by now you are living alone makes the timely identification of symptoms more complex, therefore leading to a later and less effective intervention. The post-event pushes women to hospitalization more often than men, who are more affected. early and are cared for at home. This circumstance is a strong accelerator of cases of post-event depression.(disorder that occurs in at least one out of 3 cases).
What to do if stroke is suspected
“When a cerebral stroke is suspected, it is necessary to call 112 immediately – in the Regions where the service is active – or 118” he declares Andrea Vianello, President of ALICe. Italy Odv (Association for the Fight against Cerebral Stroke). It is essential that the person is taken as quickly as possible to hospitals, possibly equipped with centers organized for treatment, i.e. the Neurovascular Units (Stroke Units). Only in this way can we think of reducing the risk of mortality and avoiding particularly serious strokes, trying to limit future damage and, in particular, the consequences of disability, very often disabling, caused by this disease “.
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