Key Points
Î In the United States, more than half (53.5%) of the estimated 795,000 new
or recurrent strokes occur among women annually, resulting in ≈55,000
more stroke events in women than men.
Î Most (87%) strokes are ischemic (IS), with the remainder hemorrhagic
(10% intracerebral [ICH] and 3% subarachnoid [SAH]).
Table 1. Stroke Risk Factors, Categorized by Those That Are
Sex-Specific, Stronger or More Prevalent in Women,
or Similar Between Women and Men
Risk Factor Sex-Specific
Stronger or More
Prevalent in Women
Similar Prevalence in
Men and Women but
Unknown Difference in
Impact
Pregnancy X
Preeclampsia X
Gestational diabetes X
Oral contraceptive
use
X
Postmenopausal
hormone use
X
Changes in
hormonal
status
X
Migraine with aura X
Atrial fibrillation X
Diabetes mellitus X
Hypertension X
Physical inactivity X
Age X
Prior cardiovascular
disease
X
Obesity X
Diet X
Smoking X
Metabolic syndrome X
Depression X
Psychosocial stress X
