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Not only do women have a higher lifetime risk of stroke, but more women die from strokes each year than men. And while risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, and obesity don’t discriminate between age or sex, some lesser-known risks may be more likely to affect women. Find out your stroke risk as well as ways to reduce your chance of stroke.
Sources: Abramson, Beth L., MD, FACC, et al. Wome... + 26
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