The vast majority of strokes occur in senior citizens, says Marla Ahlgrimm. But, today, more and more women than between the ages of 25 and 44 are being diagnosed with stroke. Why?
Marla Ahlgrimm explains that there are many reasons that young women may experience a potentially life-altering stroke. One is lupus. Lupus is a disease that triggers inflammation throughout the entire body. This leaves people with lupus more than twice as likely to experience what’s known as an ischemic stroke.
Women who experience migraine with aura are also at a slightly increased risk of having a stroke. While the additional risk is small, migraines are often accompanied by other conditions that can elevate a woman’s potential for having a stroke. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that women are more likely to have migraines during their reproductive years – approximately 13 through 45 – then same-age men.