We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how heart attack symptoms can look different for women.
But the same is true for strokes, too.
Many believe that more men have strokes than women, but as the Stroke Association says “men do have slightly more strokes, but stroke is one of the four leading causes of death in women in the UK”
The risk of stroke rises as women enter menopause, they add.
But Dr Pooja Khatri, a neurology professor at the University of Cincinnati, told the American Heart Association: “Women more frequently have atypical, vague symptoms.”
What symptoms can women display?
Women’s stroke symptoms ”might start with fatigue, confusion or maybe general weakness, as opposed to weakness on one side of the body,” Dr Khatri said.
Health information site Healthline adds that “Stroke symptoms more common among females [than males] include nausea, vomiting, seizures, hiccups, trouble breathing, and sudden drowsiness”.
Symptoms of an “altered state of mind” like confusion, disorientation, sudden behavioural change, and hallucinations “were more likely to be linked to women than any of the other symptoms studied”, Healthline says.
The signs of a stroke can be so “subtle” that women brush them off, Dr Khatri explained.
Unusually bad headaches, exhaustion, brain fog, nausea, difficulty walking, and other signs are often disregarded, the doctor says ― but she warns anything that comes on very quickly should sound alarms.
She advises women to take “any sudden symptom or loss in function that you can’t explain” seriously.
“The key is that it’s sudden,” she added.
What should I always look out for?
Remembering the acronym FAST, which stands for face, arms, speech and time to call 999, can help people of any gender to recognise a stroke.
It refers to some of the most common signs of the condition, which can come on suddenly:
- face weakness – one side of your face may droop (fall) and it might be hard to smile
- arm weakness – you may not be able to fully lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm
- speech problems – you may slur your words or sound confused.
The NHS says that “symptoms of a stroke can sometimes stop after a short time, so you may think you’re OK. Even if this happens, get medical help straight away”.
Do not drive yourself to the hospital if you suspect you have had a stroke, they add. Instead, call 999 and follow their instructions.