Women may have a higher risk of strokes

May is National Stroke Awareness Month, intended to educate and spread awareness about stroke prevention, symptom recognition and recovery.

This year's campaign, "Women in Your Life," focuses on educating women. Women of all ages are at risk.

Women are especially at a higher risk of stroke if they are diabetic, pregnant, menopausal, on hormone replacement therapy or have high blood pressure or migraine headaches.

+Stroke will kill more than 100,000 women this year, more than twice as many as breast cancer.

+More women than men will die from stroke.

+One-half of all African American women will die from stroke or heart disease.

+Women outnumber men as caregivers to stroke survivors.

+Four out of five American families will be touched by stroke.

Many strokes are 80 percent preventable, yet more than 750,000 Americans suffer strokes each year.

The following symptoms may indicate a stroke:

+Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

+Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

+Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

+Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

+Sudden severe headaches with no known cause.

Women need to be aware of their stroke risk and know stroke symptoms to get the treatment they or their loved one need FAST.

+Face. Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

+Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

+Speech. Have them repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?

+Time. If any of these symptoms are present, call 911.

Most strokes can be treated. The FDA-approved treatment for clotcaused stroke is tPA, a clotbusting drug that dissolves the blood clot and restores blood flow to the brain. The drug must be given within three hours of the first signs of stroke symptoms for the drug to work effectively.

Stroke prevention includes keeping blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, quitting smoking and drinking in moderation.

This story is provided by the UCLA Stroke Center.