These 3 Conditions Affect Women More Than Men

 

Ever wonder if you’re at a greater risk for some diseases because you’re a woman? You may be.

There are some diseases that affect people of different genders differently. Sometimes it is not entirely understood why gender plays a role in affecting risk, while the causes of gender differences may be easier to pinpoint in other conditions.

Here are three common health conditions that affect women more than men.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Women are more likely than men to develop dementia and are nearly twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s disease. The main reason for this is that women typically live longer than men and age is the biggest risk factor for the disease. But it may not be the only reason why.

There is not enough definitive research to explain the differences in Alzheimer’s and dementia risk in women other than living longer, but some other factors that affect risk may be at play. For example, educational opportunities, genetics and experiencing traumatic brain injuries may affect risk. Women are more vulnerable to concussion, and for reasons not yet fully understood, gene variants that affect dementia risk appear to have a greater effect on women than men.

Stroke

Another brain-related condition that affects women differently than men is stroke. Although many think of stroke as something that primarily happens to older men, the fact is that more women die from strokes each year than men. One reason that women are more likely to have strokes over their lifetimes is that women generally live longer than men and age is a risk factor for this condition.

In addition to universal risk factors for stroke that affect both genders, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, age and family history, women also have additional risk factors for stroke. These include:

• Taking birth control pills (especially if they smoke)
• Having high blood pressure during pregnancy
• Using hormone replacement therapy
• Having frequent migraines

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive and mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body. There are over 100 autoimmune diseases, but some of the more common ones include lupus, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. When it comes to autoimmune disorders, women are four times more likely to develop one of these diseases than men.  It is not known exactly why women are at such a greater risk, but some theories include differences in sex hormones, the x chromosome, the microbiome and environmental factors.

If you are a woman, discuss your risks for these three conditions with your doctor. Just because women may be more likely to experience certain diseases doesn’t mean you’re automatically at a high risk just because of your gender. Often there are steps you can take to lower your risk for these conditions, as well as other serious diseases.