From The National Women's Health Information Center

On average, every 45 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack." A stroke can injure the brain like a heart attack can injure the heart. A stroke happens when part of the brain doesn't get the blood it needs. Strokes can kill brain cells. This may cause a person to lose control of their speech, movement, and memory.

• African Americans are affected by stroke more than any other group. The rate of stroke in African-American women is almost twice that of white women. African American women also have a higher risk of dying from a stroke than white women. The age-adjusted stroke death rate for African-American women is 60.7 per 100,000 compared to the age-adjusted stroke death rate of 44.4 per 100,000 for white women. African Americans tend to have higher rates of these risk factors for stroke: high blood pressure, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, obesity, family history of stroke, and no leisure exercise.



• Asian-American/Pacific Islanders are less likely than whites to have suffered a stroke and they are less likely to die from a stroke. The age-adjusted stroke death rate for Asian-American/Pacific Islander women is 36.3 per 100,000 compared to the age-adjusted stroke death rate of 44.4 per 100,000 for white women. This group tends to have fewer risk factors for stroke, including being overweight, having high blood pressure, and smoking.



• American Indian/Alaska Native women are twice as likely as white women to have a stroke. The age-adjusted stroke death rate for American Indian/Alaska Native women is 37.1 per 100,000 compared to the age-adjusted stroke death rate of 44.4 per 100,000 for white women. American Indians/Alaska Natives tend to have higher rates of these risk factors for stroke: high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, lack of exercise, and obesity.



• Cardiovascular disease, which includes both heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death for Hispanic/Latina women. Among Hispanics/Latinos, the risk of stroke is 1.3 times higher at ages 35-64 than for non-Hispanics. The age-adjusted stroke death rate for Hispanic/Latino women is 33.5 per 100,000 compared to the age-adjusted stroke death rate of 44.4 per 100,000 for white women.