Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching

their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of

neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine,

and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'(

0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific.

)mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half

of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said.

) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of

neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine,

and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and

consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half

of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.:

The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against

recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4

,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk.

AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity.

9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides

Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their

consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression,

diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a

decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation.

*ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern.

The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood

pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity.

9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said.

) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant,

according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines.

,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as

blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@

AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half

of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said.

) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of

neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine,

and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and

consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half

of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations.

9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2

leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy.

,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and

consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.: The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half

of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.:

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, watching their blood pressure carefully even before they think about taking birth control pills or getting pregnant, according to a new set of guidelines released Thursday. Women are also more likely to have risk factors associated with stroke, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. Stroke Guidelines for Women

More stories on stroke

Aspirin can deter stroke and heart attack, but it also has downsides
Consumer eports !"# $, %&'( ) daily dose is often recommended for people with heart disease, especially for those at highest risk.

Exercise can assist in stroke rehab

#enny *ernstein M) '+, %&'% ) woman and a ,ilates instructor create the kind of e-ercise program that may help stroke survivors.

Stroke or ear infection? New goggles help doctors distinguish.

Meeri .im )"G /, %&'( 0i11iness marks both ailments, but doctors can tell them apart with eye2tracking.

Chiropractic neck manipulation: Can it cause strokes?

Susan *erger !)3 4 ,ractitioners say the link is unproven and the cases are e-tremely rare5 others e-press concern. The new guidelines from the )merican 6eart )ssociation were the first such recommendations to prevent strokes in women. Stroke is the fourth2leading cause of death for all )mericans but the third2 leading cause of death for women, after heart disease and cancer. Women share many of the same risk factors as men for stroke, but they also have uni7ue risks that come with pregnancy complications and hormone use, said Cheryl *ushnell, associate professor of neurology at Wake 8orest *aptist Medical Center in Winston2Salem, 3.C., who led a group of e-perts that developed the guidelines. ,revious guidelines about cardiovascular prevention in women have included some information about stroke. 9*ut it was buried in there,: said *ushnell, who has been studying the topic for more than a decade. 9We wanted to take topics that are really women2specific and emphasi1e stroke and put it all in one guideline.:

The recommendations, published in the ;ournal Stroke, emphasi1e the importance of controlling blood pressure, especially in young women. They are aimed at a broader age range than most recommendations. 9We<re talking about being aware of blood pressure before you ever take birth control medication, being aware of blood pressure before you even get pregnant,: *ushnell said. ) stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die. The signs of stroke in women are similar to those in men, including face drooping, sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, and difficulty with speech or trouble understanding. *ut symptoms in women may be more vague or subtle, *ushnell said. Women are more likely to have a change in their consciousness or their ability to communicate with people, she said. )n estimated 4.$ million people in the "nited States are living after having had a stroke, including (.$ million women, according to statistics from the )merican 6eart )ssociation. =ach year, more than half of the estimated $&&,&&& people who have a stroke each year are women. )s women increasingly outlive men, their lifetime risk of stroke becomes higher. Women are also more likely to be living alone and widowed after suffering a stroke, and are more likely to be institutionali1ed, research shows. 9)s the baby boomer generation ages, more people are at risk for stroke, and women in particular as they enter their /&s, 4&s and >&s,: said )le- 0romerick, a neurology professor at Georgetown "niversity. 9Women are more adversely affected by stroke than men,: according to the guidelines. 93ow more than ever, it is critical to identify women at higher risk for stroke and initiate the appropriate prevention strategies.: ?n some instances, the recommendations call for common2sense precautions that doctors and consumers should already be doing. ?n others, the recommendations are more specific. )mong the guidelines@ AWomen should be screened for high blood pressure before taking birth control pills because the combination raises stroke risks. AWomen with a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy should be considered for low2dose aspirin andBor calcium supplement therapy to lower preeclampsia risk. AWomen who have preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a four2fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. Therefore, preeclampsia should be recogni1ed as a risk factor well after pregnancy. ,reeclampsia and eclampsia are blood pressure disorders during pregnancy that cause ma;or complications, including stroke during or after delivery, premature birth, and risk for stroke well after child2bearing. ,reeclampsia is characteri1ed by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine, and when sei1ure also occurs, is called eclampsia, according to the )merican 6eart )ssociation. The guidelines also recommend that women who have migraine headaches with aura C such as blinking lights or moving dots C stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. Women over age >/ should also be screened for atrial fibrillation. *ut one that could be controversial recommends treating pregnant women with moderately high blood pressure D'/& to '/+ mm6gB'&& to '&+ mm6gE with blood pressure medication. That goes against

recommendations by the )merican College of Fbstetricians and Gynecologists, *ushnell said. 9We are going out on a limb,: she said.:We don<t want women to develop severe blood pressure, and that has to be weighed with risks for the mom and the baby.: