80 percent of strokes are preventable.
This article was posted on McLaren Health Care’s blog. Read more here.
There are more than 795,000 strokes every year in the United States, and 1 out of every 4 is preventable.
And with a stroke responsible for 150,005 annual deaths in the country, that means up to 120,004 deaths every year have the potential to be avoided.
“It’s imperative that everyone know their risk factors and to know the signs and symptoms of stroke,” said Dr. Aniel Majjhoo, interventional neurologist and medical director of the McLaren Stroke Network, who also noted that the average age of stroke patients has been trending younger.
How, though, can it be avoided? By knowing and addressing stroke risk factors.
Know your risk factors
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- History of heart disease
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Smoking and excessive alcohol use
- Sedentary lifestyle
Address your risk factors
- Don’t smoke
- The toll taken from smoking reaches far, and the increased risk for stroke is just one of them.
- Limit alcohol
- Excess alcohol consumption increases blood pressure. Limit drinks to one to two per day at most.
- Monitor statistics
- Blood pressure and cholesterol can increase one’s risk for multiple chronic diseases, in addition to stroke risk.
- Control chronic illnesses
- Don’t ignore potential signs or symptoms of chronic disease, such as heart disease and diabetes, that will only continue to worsen if left unchecked.
- Exercise
- Regular moderate exercise increases the health of blood vessels while also benefiting blood pressure and weight management.
- Take medications
- Follow a doctor’s recommendations as he or she monitors heart disease and diabetes.
- Talk to your doctor
- Have a conversation with your doctor so he or she can evaluate your specific stroke risk factors.
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