Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
All this time stroke synonymous with diseases that are more common in men. But in fact, women are actually in the vulnerable group who can suffer a stroke. Recognize the risk factors for preventing stroke in women.
Stroke is brain damage due to disruption of blood supply due to buildup, blockage, and bleeding. Stroke causes a person to experience symptoms related to brain function such as movement, paralysis, and memory.
Neurologist at the National Brain Center Hospital (RSPON) Ita Muharram Sari explained that stroke in women is often ignored.
“So far, we tend to pay attention to men, so female patients are less explored,” Ita told CNN Indonesia in commemoration of World Stroke Day.
World Stroke Day is commemorated every 29 October. This year, RSPON has a theme that focuses on women: I am a woman, stroke affected me stroke affected everyone.
There are a number of reasons why stroke risk in women is often ruled out. One of them is hormonal factors.
The menstrual cycle which is influenced by hormones makes women seem protected from the condition of damaged blood vessels that cause stroke. However, the risk of stroke can appear immediately after no longer menstruation or menopause.
“In women, hormonal factors protect when they are menstruating. However, when the hormones are not available, they are very vulnerable. If we look to the future, the old age of 5-10 years will increase, meaning that cases in women will also be higher than today,” he said. Beautiful.
The 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data shows that the prevalence of stroke in Indonesia reaches 10.9 percent per mill, an increase compared to 7 percent previously. The prevalence in men reaches 11 percent and 10.9 percent for women. As you get older, stroke cases increase too.
Apart from hormonal factors, Indah also explained that health workers often do not carry out comprehensive examinations for women with stroke symptoms, in contrast to men.
“So, there is an under-diagnosed from doctors to women when women come with symptoms that are actually symptoms of a stroke. Sometimes the doctor still denies it. Unlike men, it is immediately examined and in more detail,” said Indah.
Common symptoms of stroke include loss of consciousness, sudden paralysis, fatigue, numbness, and difficulty speaking. However, in addition to common symptoms there are also unusual symptoms such as migraines, difficulty processing language, and frequent forgetfulness.
In addition, a number of risk factors can also affect stroke in women. Risk factors for stroke in everyone are hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. In women, there are a number of other risk factors that aggravate stroke.
The following are risk factors for stroke in women.
1. Pregnancy
The risk of stroke in pregnant women increases, especially in the third trimester and postpartum.
2. Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is high blood pressure that occurs in pregnancy. Preeclampsia increases the risk of stroke later in life.
Pill KB
The risk of ischemic stroke or blockage stroke in women using oral contraceptives increases, especially in women with other stroke risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure.
Indah suggests that women with stroke risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity use contraceptives that do not affect hormones.
4. Menopause
The risk of stroke increases in women who stop menstruating. Ten years after menopause, up to double that in women.
5. Migraine with aura symptoms
Migraine sufferers are mostly women. Migraine with aura is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in young women, especially if they smoke or use oral contraceptives.
6. Obesity
Women who are overweight are at risk of having a bleeding stroke.
The way to prevent stroke in women is to avoid preventable risk factors. Indah also suggested that women regularly carry out checks to find out about their overall health condition.
Every woman is also encouraged to exercise regularly, maintain a balanced body weight, eat healthy foods, manage stress, and get adequate rest.
(ptj / chs)
– .
