Burden of stroke in women.

Stroke is the fifth cause of death in the United States and the first cause of disability. While reductions in stroke mortality have occurred, stroke remains a significant burden in women. In addition to traditional cardiovascular risk factors, there are specific risk factors in women that need to be addressed to further reduce deaths in women from stroke. Atrial fibrillation is common in women and needs proper evaluation for anticoagulation for risk reduction. Stroke in women remains a serious cause of preventable deaths, disability, and cost. Implementation of the new guidelines for stroke prevention in women is critical for reducing the burden of stroke in women.