Strokes Among Middle-Aged Women Triple

[flashl]

NEW ORLEANS -- Strokes have tripled in recent years among middle-aged women in the U.S., an alarming trend doctors blame on the obesity epidemic. Nearly 2 percent of women ages 35 to 54 reported suffering a stroke in the most recent federal health survey, from 1999 to 2004. Only about half a percent did in the previous survey, from 1988 to 1994.

The percentage is small because most strokes occur in older people. But the sudden spike in middle age and the reasons behind it are ominous, doctors said in research presented Wednesday at a medical conference.

It happened even though more women in the recent survey were on medicines to control their cholesterol and blood pressure _ steps that lower the risk of stroke.

...

No other traditional risk factors like smoking, heart disease or diabetes changed enough between the two surveys to account for the increase in strokes.

Washington Post

[rocktivity]

1. There are worse bands they could fall in love in, I suppose

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[BeanCounting]

2. Duh, could it be chimpy at the helm?

Know my BP's been high for last 7 years of his crap!

[kimmerspixelated]

3. I know it's hard to believe the myths modern medicine

likes to lay on the general public, but statins, can CAUSE strokes! In fact having a low cholesterol level invites strokes. Cholesterol is needed for the body to function right. It's the imflammation of the arterial wall and homocystein(sp?) levels that cause the arteries to get plugged up.Little perferated holes cause the cholesterol to clog. Always treat the immflamatory response first! This is what I have read on hundreds of heart sites and books. The treatment of cholesterol levels is such a profit machine!

[grasswire]

4. I'd like to have some control over my meds

I'm being urged to take a statin that I don't want, as well as another med called Coreg that has horrible side effects of fatigue. And I also want a low-dose antibiotic for a long-time low grade infection and inflammatory process in the ear-sinus-tonsil. The doctor showed no awareness of the utility of the antibiotic in cardiovascular care. I'm looking for a new doctor.