2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Stroke is the third leading cause of death for women, and roughly 60% of stroke deaths in the United States are in women. Since women live longer than men, stroke-related disability and institutionalization more strongly affects women than men throughout much of the developed world. Clinical and basic science research is beginning to unveil the many unique aspects of stroke pathobiology in women vs. men, and some of these findings may lead to new, gender-specific therapy in future. This chapter focuses on sex differences in stroke risk factors, with focus on risk factors that are more prevalent in women than men (e.g., atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, migraine with aura, and depression) and female-specific risk factors that bear consideration (e.g., pregnancy, menopausal hormone status and use of replacement therapies, preeclampsia, and oral contraceptive use).
