Gender gap in stroke treatment likely due to delay by women seeking care

Main Category: Stroke
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 29 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Gender gap in stroke treatment likely due to delay by women seeking care

Women with clot-caused strokes are less likely than men to arrive at the hospital in time to receive the best treatment, according to a European study reported in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.

In the study, 11 percent of women with acute ischemic strokes were treated with the clot-dissolving medication alteplase, compared with 14 percent of men. Study participants included 5,515 patients at 12 hospitals in the Netherlands.

Researchers found no gender gap when they looked only at patients who arrived at the hospital within four hours of the onset of symptoms in this study. Forty-two percent of men and women arriving within the four-hour window received alteplase.

"Our study showed that women in the Netherlands were treated just as often with thrombolytic agents as men once they arrived in time for treatment," said Inger de Ridder, M.D., lead author of the study and AIOS Resident of Neurology at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

The gender gap in treatment may be due to delays in getting to the hospital, researchers said. Women arrived at the hospital an average 27 minutes later than men, and a smaller percentage of women (27 percent) than men (33 percent) arrived at the hospital within the four-hour window.

Furthermore, women in the study were an average four years older and may consequently have been more likely to live alone, which would make it more difficult to summon help. Stroke severity was similar for men and women.

"More education about stroke symptoms is needed, and also more research to find out why women arrive later at the hospital," de Ridder said.

The findings may also apply to patients in the United States, researchers said.

Stroke symptoms include: drooping or numbness in the face; weakness or numbness in the arms; and speech difficulty. Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and the leading preventable cause of disability in the United States.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our stroke section for the latest news on this subject.

Unequal Access to Treatment With Intravenous Alteplase for Women With Acute Ischemic Stroke, Inger de Ridder, MD, Maaike Dirks, MD, PhD, Louis Niessen, MD, PhD, Diederik Dippel, MD, PhD and on behalf of the PRACTISE Investigators, Published online before print July 25, 2013, doi: 10.1161/?STROKEAHA.113.002263

Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development funded the study.

American Heart Association

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New Contraceptive Pills 4 Month Delay Menstruation

The process of menstruation or menses in women is different. For most of them, there is a feeling that regular menstruation as a process without any significant complaints, but there is also experiencing great pain even unconscious. There are women who feel pain in the first day alone, accompanied by vomiting and explosive emotions.

For most women, the menstrual previously with symptoms of pre menstrual syndrome (PMS) can be very painful. Every month, many women feel great pain, so that every month they have to lose time effective to work and other activities.

In Australia, the complaints of the women in the face of a monthly period is likely to get a solution following the launch of a new contraceptive pill that would put monthly menstrual periods to four months. Dr. Caroline Harvey, Medical Director of Family Planning Queensland said the pills were packaged in a device called Yaz Flex is a tool that is safe and effective contraception.

The device is equipped with a digital feature that will tell women to eat regularly, and remind them if late taking the pill. This feature also informed the women who want to have sex to use contraception, such as condoms after taking the pill.

"We call this pill as an extension of time. Devices and Yaz Flex packs are already available in the market and be an option for women because many women who still believe in the monthly cycle should occur every month," he said.

Initially, the workings of the pill was designed 50 years ago to reduce the bleeding that mimics the monthly cycle. The pill contains hormones will be taken for 21 days, then stop drinking for 7 days. Stop for a moment of taking these pills to avoid side effects. If the pill is taken continuously without any pause will cause blood clots.

"That's why we recommend that women who take these pills for the rest every three or four months," he said.

The women are encouraged to be careful to determine when the pill so also the jedanya. The pill is effective as a contraceptive, but if they extend the consumption gap pills can be risky in pregnancy.

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