Women and stroke risk

This article comes from Taking Care of You: The Empowered Woman’s Guide to Better Health.

Men and women have some small but important differences in risk factors and outcomes that are important to understand. Find answers below to common questions about stroke in general, but particularly in women.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is suddenly disrupted, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and resulting in brain cells dying. This injury to the brain causes impaired functioning, such as affecting your ability to speak or walk.