Are you at risk for a stroke?

Are you at risk for a stroke?

Knowing the signs of a stroke could help save your life

By Lisa Fitterman

According to a 2011 report by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, stroke awareness in this country is dangerously low, especially among women. Yet a stroke occurs in this country every 10 minutes, and it can happen to men and women of all ages. Here's how to spot the warning signs:

Signs it may be a stroke

These symptoms come on suddenly, and you may not experience all of them.

• Numbness, tingling or weakness of the face, arm or leg
• Trouble speaking or confusion 
• Vision problems
• Severe headache and/or dizziness

What are the risk factors?

Along with smoking, risk factors for strokes in women under the age of 55 include:

• • High blood pressure or high cholesterol
• • Conditions such as diabetes and lupus
• • Use of birth control pills
• • Migraines with auras
• Clotting disorders can also cause stroke. Women who have had more than one miscarriage, for example, may be at higher risk for blood clots, as are women with a history of leg clots (or deep vein thromboses). The same goes if you have a vascular condition called livedo reticularis, characterized by mottled, purple-red patterns on the skin.

• Stroke
• Heart Disease
• "I had a stroke in my 20s."