STUDY SHOWS BETTER STROKE DETECTION IN WOMEN COULD SAVE MILLIONS

Improving stroke detection in women could not only save lives but also deliver millions in annual healthcare savings, according to new research published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

The study, led by Associate Professor Lei Si from Western Sydney University, found that women are 11 per cent less likely than men to be correctly diagnosed with stroke symptoms by emergency medical staff.

Using health economic modelling, the researchers estimated the impact of lifting diagnostic accuracy for women to the same level as men.

“Our study shows that if we could match the accuracy with which men’s strokes are identified, women would gain an average of 51 extra days of life and nearly a month of life in perfect health — all while saving nearly $3,000 in healthcare costs per patient,” said Associate Professor Si.

At the national level, that would equate to more than 250 additional life years, 144 extra quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and $5.4 million in savings each year.

The findings underscore the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis. Recognising a stroke quickly can increase the chances of receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) within the critical 60-minute treatment window, improving health outcomes and reducing long-term costs.

Jordan Springs resident Kelly Ryan knows the stakes too well. She suffered a stroke in September 2020 at age 32 after a chiropractic session. Still, her symptoms, including loss of balance, double vision, vomiting, and a sharp headache, were initially dismissed as vertigo and migraine.

“Initially, I was shrugged off as just having a migraine and vertigo as I was not FAST positive,” Ryan said.

“It took six hours to get a CT scan, and I was sent home with an outpatient appointment for an MRI a week later. It took a total of 2 weeks to be diagnosed as having a stroke.”

The common F.A.S.T stroke acronym — Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time — fails to include symptoms like those Kelly experienced.

While both men and women can show classic signs, women are more likely to present with additional, subtler symptoms that may be overlooked.

A team from Western Sydney University, UNSW Sydney, and The George Institute for Global Health conducted the research.