Study: Mexican American Women At More Risk Following Stroke

11.5% of participants reported not adhering to their medication regimen.

According to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, Mexican American women who have had a stroke may be less likely than men to follow prescribed medications to prevent a second stroke.

The study, which analyzed data from over 1,300 adults aged 45 and older, focused on individuals who experienced a first ischemic stroke between 2008 and 2019.

Researchers examined whether participants were taking their prescribed stroke prevention medications 90 days after their initial stroke.

These medications included antihypertensives for blood pressure, statins to lower cholesterol, and antiplatelets and anticoagulants to reduce blood clotting.

The findings revealed that 11.5% of participants reported not adhering to their medication regimen.

Women were more likely than men to miss doses of cholesterol-lowering drugs and antiplatelets, though there was no significant difference in adherence to blood pressure medications.

Mexican American women, in particular, were three times more likely than their male counterparts to report not taking cholesterol medications as prescribed. Additionally, older women and married women were more likely to miss doses of their stroke prevention medications than men in similar demographics.