Who wants to be given a shot every single day for a month after surgery just to prevent the chance of developing a blood clot? People who really don’t want to get blood clots—that’s who.

A decade ago, when a woman reached menopause, she likely reached for hormone replacement therapy to calm the symptoms associated with the change in life. Then a large study called the Women's Health Initiative challenged that treatment.

Women with a common abnormal heartbeat condition called atrial fibrillation are at a greater risk of stroke even if they take anticoagulants to lower their risk. This was especially true for women over the age of 75.

Women have another reason to raise their glasses. Moderate alcohol consumption appears to lessen the risk of stroke among women.

High consumption of trans fats such as fried or processed foods may catch up with women later in life. Postmenopausal women who indulge in higher amounts of trans fats appear to be at an increased risk of stroke.

Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits do more than function as a tasty snack. In women, a compound found in citrus fruits also appears to lower the risk of stroke.

Menopause, which is the end of menstruation and fertility, causes many changes in a women’s health. A new study shows that a hormone may help fight age-related arterial stiffness, a condition that’s associated with menopause.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects men and women nearly equally. Yet women are still more likely to go undiagnosed, even though the serious circulatory disease can nearly triple their risk of stroke and heart attack.

Certain factors have been traditionally used for predicting the risk for stroke, such as high cholesterol. But these factors may not be very accurate in predicting stroke risk for postmenopausal women.

Women may be able to lower their risk of stroke just by changing what they eat -- even if they have a history of heart disease. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are high in antioxidants, appear to offer positive heart benefits.