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30 October 2014 10:05
Maintaining healthy blood pressure is one way to reduce the risk of stroke
Women everywhere are being urged to cultivate a greater awareness of the risks and signs of stroke.
The fresh call comes as a poll shows as many as one in eight females in the UK are unaware they could suffer a stoke - even though they are three times more deadly than breast cancer.
The serious and life-threatening condition, of which 30,000 women die every year, occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, which can be caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain.
Stokes require urgent and speedy treatment, which is something travellers should consider when planning time away from home. Travel insurance for someone living with a related, existing medical condition, for instance, could offer peace of mind to anyone who may require unexpected treatment.
The NHS advises that the quicker a person receives treatment, the less damage is likely to happen. It urges people to recognise the symptoms using the FAST test - has the Face dropped? Is the person having difficulty raising their Arms? Has their Speech become slurred? If yes, then it is Time to seek emergency medical care.
The Stroke Association said it is "extremely worrying" that women do not have stroke on their radar, with the survey further showing that a third were oblivious to the fact that the risk of stroke increases with age.
The charity's Nikki Hill said the figures should act as "wake-up call" for women to become better informed about one of the world's biggest killers - a fact three-quarters admitted to not knowing.
Risk factors for stroke - the third leading cause of death in women in the UK - include the contraceptive pill, pregnancy and hormone replacement therapy.
But a woman could significantly cut her chance of having a stroke through simple lifestyle chances such as maintaining a healthy blood pressure, participating in regular exercise and quitting smoking, it is advised.
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