Stroke is a major cause of death and disability. A stroke occurs when part of your brain doesn't get the blood that it needs. Depending on the parts of the brain damaged by a stroke, people who survive a stroke can have problems with:
- Movement
- Sensations
- Language
- Thinking and memory
- Emotions
A stroke happens fast. The most common signs of stroke are sudden:
- Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg (mainly on one side of the body)
- Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance
- Confusion or trouble talking or understanding speech
- Very bad headache with no known cause
Women may also have other sudden symptoms, such as feeling sick to your stomach, face and arm or leg pain, hiccups, feeling very tired, chest pain, shortness of breath, or a racing heartbeat.
If you have any of these symptoms, call 911. Getting treatment within three hours from the start of symptoms increases your chances of walking away from a stroke with few or no disabilities.
Stroke kills 1 in 3 Latinas. Many factors contribute to Latinas' high stroke risk, as well as high risk of death from stroke. Latinas may not know the signs of stroke or the importance of seeking treatment right away.
Lack of insurance or access to care keep many Latinas from seeking help for symptoms or getting care that can help to prevent stroke. Latinas also have high rates of some risk factors that make stroke more likely, such as:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Lack of physical activity
Latinos tend to have strokes at younger ages. Hemorrhagic (hem-ur-RAJ-ihk) stroke also appears to be more common among Latinos than non-Hispanic whites. This type of stroke happens when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain.
Together, all these factors put Latinos at high risk of stroke. The good news is that you can take steps to lower your risk of stroke:
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Make physical activity a habit. Health benefits are gained by doing the following each week:
-- 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity
or
-- 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
or
-- A combination of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity
and
-- Muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days of the week
Eat heart-healthy foods. Eat whole-grain foods, vegetables, and fruit. Choose lean meats and low-fat cheese and dairy products. Limit foods that have lots of saturated fat, like butter, whole milk, baked goods, ice cream, fatty meats, and cheese.
Know your numbers. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Follow your doctor's orders to keep your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels under control.
Don't smoke. If you smoke, try to quit. For help along the way, check out our Quitting Smoking section.
More resources on minority women's health