D vila-Rom n calls for aggressive strategies to prevent these types of strokes. The study now adds stroke to the list of reasons why women have a poorer survival rate than men following heart surgery. It does not, however, shed light on why women have a higher risk. The question is, what is unique about women that predisposes them to stroke, Hogue says. One possible answer involves estrogen, the female sex hormone, he says.
Animal studies suggest that estrogen can protect the brain against stroke.
The sharp reduction in estrogen after menopause may help explain the higher perioperative stroke risk in women. Most women who have heart surgery are postmenopausal, he says.