title: [Does gender exert influence on stroke?].
abstract: Stroke morbidity increases with age. That is the reason why it affects especially the middle aged and elderly. Life expectancy is longer for females than males by 10 years, that is why stroke is a major problem in women. Women die twice more frequently from stroke than men (16% vs. 8%). Stroke risk factors are basically the same in spite of gender. The most important are hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, previous stroke, smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity and lack of physical activity. Their impact, however, is different in males and females. Women with diabetes, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, obese, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking are more likely to suffer of stroke than males with the same burden. A less favourable outcome after stroke has been observed in female patients--higher mortality rates and disability. It is possible that poor prognosis is related to a drop in blood estrogen concentration after menopause. Estrogen replacement therapy has not proved to be beneficial in preventing stroke and improving outcome. There are several specific conditions: pregnancy, migraine in women associated with the occurrence of stroke.
authors.affiliation: II Kliniki Neurologii, Instytut Psychiatrii i Neurologii w Warszawie.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Członkowska
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017678:Sex Distribution; D020521:Stroke / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens