Most people experiencing minor strokes don't recognize the symptoms. A new study reports that when it comes to minor stroke diagnosis, women are less likely to be diagnosed with minor stroke than men. Hence, timely diagnosing TIA and stroke could save millions of lives and help prevent another stroke from happening.
Women experiencing a minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) are less likely to be diagnosed with a stroke compared to men -- even though they describe similar symptoms in emergency departments.
How to Deal with a Stroke
Stroke is a brain attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted. It affects all age groups; according to the WHO, 15 million people are affected by stroke annually.
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‘Minor stroke silently affects millions of people's lives. However, a new study highlights that men are more likely to be diagnosed with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) compared to women.’
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"In our study, men were more likely to be diagnosed with TIA or minor stroke, and women were 10 percent more likely to be given a non-stroke diagnosis, for example, migraine or vertigo, even though men and women were equally likely to report atypical stroke symptoms," says study lead author Dr. Amy Yu, MD, a stroke neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.
The findings of the study are published in JAMA Neurology and were presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference in Milan, Italy.
![Taking Aspirin Soon After a Minor Stroke can Reduce Risk of Major Stroke]( "Taking Aspirin Soon After a Minor Stroke can Reduce Risk of Major Stroke")
Aspirin can reduce the risk of major stroke by 80 percent in people who have had warning events like transient ischemic attack or mini-stroke.
The study found men and women equally described atypical stroke symptoms such as dizziness, tingling, or confusion which are not commonly thought of as related to stroke. Typical symptoms of a stroke are sudden weakness, face drooping, or speech difficulties.
A TIA occurs when there is temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, and is often a warning sign of another stroke. TIAs can also be associated with permanent disability.
Discrepancy in Diagnoses
"Our study also found the chance of having another stroke or heart attack within 90 days of the diagnosis was the same for women and men," adds senior author Dr. Shelagh Coutts, MD, a stroke neurologist with Alberta Health Services at Foothills Medical Centre, associate professor at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) and member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the CSM.
The research team say while further research is needed, it is possible that patient reporting of symptoms, interpretation of symptoms by clinicians, or a combination of both, could explain the discrepancy in diagnosis among men and women.
"Our findings call attention to potential missed opportunities for prevention of stroke and other adverse vascular events such as heart attack or death in women," adds Coutts.
Previous studies on this topic have focused on patients diagnosed with stroke. Researchers in the current study included 1,648 patients with suspected TIA who were referred to a neurologist after receiving emergency care from 2013-2017, regardless of their final diagnosis.
Spotlight on Atypical Symptoms
A team of researchers notes it is an important opportunity for the public and clinicians to be aware of atypical symptoms of TIA.
"What's important to recognize in stroke is that the brain has so many different functions and when a stroke is happening, people can feel different things beyond the typical stroke symptoms," says Yu. "Accurately diagnosing TIA and stroke would change a patient's treatment plan and could help prevent another stroke from happening."
Source: Eurekalert
Taking Aspirin Soon After a Minor Stroke can Reduce Risk of Major Stroke
Aspirin can reduce the risk of major stroke by 80 percent in people who have had warning events like transient ischemic attack or mini-stroke.
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The study found men and women equally described atypical stroke symptoms such as dizziness, tingling, or confusion which are not commonly thought of as related to stroke. Typical symptoms of a stroke are sudden weakness, face drooping, or speech difficulties.
A TIA occurs when there is temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, and is often a warning sign of another stroke. TIAs can also be associated with permanent disability.
Discrepancy in Diagnoses
"Our study also found the chance of having another stroke or heart attack within 90 days of the diagnosis was the same for women and men," adds senior author Dr. Shelagh Coutts, MD, a stroke neurologist with Alberta Health Services at Foothills Medical Centre, associate professor at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) and member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the CSM.
The research team say while further research is needed, it is possible that patient reporting of symptoms, interpretation of symptoms by clinicians, or a combination of both, could explain the discrepancy in diagnosis among men and women.
"Our findings call attention to potential missed opportunities for prevention of stroke and other adverse vascular events such as heart attack or death in women," adds Coutts.
Previous studies on this topic have focused on patients diagnosed with stroke. Researchers in the current study included 1,648 patients with suspected TIA who were referred to a neurologist after receiving emergency care from 2013-2017, regardless of their final diagnosis.
Spotlight on Atypical Symptoms
A team of researchers notes it is an important opportunity for the public and clinicians to be aware of atypical symptoms of TIA.
"What's important to recognize in stroke is that the brain has so many different functions and when a stroke is happening, people can feel different things beyond the typical stroke symptoms," says Yu. "Accurately diagnosing TIA and stroke would change a patient's treatment plan and could help prevent another stroke from happening."
Source: Eurekalert
Minor Stroke Can Cause Serious Disability
Transient ischemic attack, TIA or mini stroke, which doctors consider too mild to treat, can cause serious disability if not treated quickly.
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 Even Minor Stroke Affects Patient’s Quality of Life in an Adverse MannerA new study reveals that stroke not only deducts years from the patients' lives but also reduces the quality of remaining life. | Advertisement
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