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Middle Aged Women's Stroke Risk is 2x Men's
Middle aged women are twice as likely as middle aged men to suffer a stroke. And the reason seems to be lack of awareness.
New research shows that there is a gender difference in stroke risk that manifests itself in the 45-54 age range, where women are 2.5 times as likely as men to have a stroke. Ages below that range (35-44) and higher (55-64) have a much narrower difference (1.2x and 1.1x, respectively).
During middle age, women's blood pressure and total cholesterol levels rise faster than men's, placing them at greater risk for stroke. This may be driving the jump.
But women receive less preventive care for stroke than men. That in turn may make them unconcerned about their increasing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and stroke risk factors such as heart disease and waist circumference.
However, the UCLA-based researchers say more study is needed in order to understand the precise reasons for the jump in stroke risk for women.
The study, "A midlife stroke surge among women in the United States," was published in the journal Neurology.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., and shares many risk factors with heart disease, the leader.
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Women's High Stroke Risk
The author of the study said possible reasons for the disparity "include the fact that obesity is increasing among Americans and women are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of abdominal obesity."
It was also noted that "women younger than 65 have unique risk factors, they said, including pregnancy, birth control pills, more frequent migraine headaches and use of hormone replacement therapy."
This latest study is further proof for the need for a regular exercise regimen. Of course, squeezed between career family, elder care (and shuttling to soccer practice!), it is easy to see how middle aged women don't feel they have time to exercise.
But there are plenty of ways to squeeze a work-out here or there. For example, try walking around the field during soccer practice? I often read the paper while on the exercise bike. Not ideal but it beats not riding (or not reading the paper). We're seeing the health consequences of our sedentary lifestyle and need to do something about it if we want to stop seeing stories like the one you cited.
Wesley Hein
Wesley [at] lifetwo [dot] com
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