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Canadian women are underestimating the seriousness of stroke, and they’re also unaware of the risk factors for it, according to a recent survey from the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Only 47 percent of women know that heart disease and stroke are the number one cause of death — and just 16 percent of women of Chinese and South Asian origin did.
This level of denial could be deadly — stroke death rates are highest among women of Chinese origin, second highest among those of South Asian origin, and lowest among those of European origin.
In response, the organization has launched two new smartphone apps, one called the Health Check Recipe Helper, which has healthy recipes, grocery lists, and nutritional information, and another called the Blood Pressure Action Plan, which helps people monitor and manage high blood pressure (which can cut your stroke risk by 40 percent!).
In addition, only a third of women could offer even one warning sign for stroke. Since anti-clotting drugs are available, but only effective if used within a few hours of the stroke, this lack of knowledge is a major issue.
Feeling like you would have failed this test? Don’t fret — we have the answer key!
Here are the symptoms of stroke
- Sudden loss of strength/numbness in face/arm/leg, even if temporary
- Sudden difficulty speaking/understanding/confusion, even if temporary
- Sudden loss of strength/numbness in face/arm/leg, even if temporary
- Sudden difficulty speaking/understanding/confusion, even if temporary
- Sudden loss of balance, especially with other signs
- Sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary
- Sudden severe/unusual headache
And the warning signs
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Smoking
- High cholesterol levels
- Obesity
- Stress
- Family History
- Inactivity
- Age
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes
- Excessive alcohol consumption
