Interestingly, at all ages, more women than men die of stroke, even though men are at higher risk and are more quickly evaluated and treated for stroke. Results of a new study, which compare the different stroke symptoms reported by women and men, may shed light on why this is so.

The study, published in the November issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine, suggests that women are 62% more likely to experience and describe stroke symptoms that are not considered to be traditional. As emergency room doctors must often rely on patient's self-reported or caretaker's description of their symptoms to make a quick diagnosis, recognition of these differences may help doctors treat stroke faster in women.

Conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Texas at Houston, study material included transcripts of emergency room interviews and information from medical records in 1,124 people who suffered acute strokes in east Texas between February 1998 and March 2000. A researcher, who did not know the sex of the each patient studied, classified the symptoms into fourteen categories. Categories included those symptoms thought to be traditional, such as paralysis on one side of the body and balance problems, and non-traditional symptoms, such as headache, changes in consciousness, and nausea. Twenty-eight percent of women reported non-traditional symptoms, as opposed to 19% of men, and overall, women's symptoms were less specific.

Additionally, there were statistically significant differences between the symptoms of women and men in a number of areas: men were more likely to present with the more traditional symptoms such as balance problems, one-sided paralysis, and problems with walking. Women, on the other hand, were more likely to arrive at the emergency room with nontraditional complaints of pain, change of consciousness, disorientation, and non-neurologic problems like chest pain and shortness of breath.

This new evidence may change the way people are educated about stroke, and if subsequent studies arrive to similar conclusions, the list of 'traditional' stroke symptoms may grow longer. Until then, however, it is important to be familiar with common stroke symptoms, understand your risk of stroke, and react quickly if you suspect you, or someone you are with, is having a stroke. Sudden numbness or weakness in one side of the body or face, confusion or trouble speaking, sudden trouble seeing or walking, dizziness or loss of balance, or sudden headache with no clear cause, are all common stroke symptoms. If you believe that you or someone you are with is having a stroke, call 911 immediately.