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Face Stroke Before It Faces You
Advice From the American Stroke Association
Some risk factors that can't be controlled, such as family history, increasing age, ethnicity and having a previous TIA or "mini-stroke," put people at higher risk for stroke. Other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and physical inactivity, can be controlled, treated or modified.
If you have one or more of the risk factors below, you are at a higher risk for stroke:
- High blood pressure (140/90 mm Hg or higher; optimal BP is less than 120/80 mm Hg)
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Being overweight or obese
- Being physically inactive
- High blood cholesterol
- Sickle cell disease
- Atrial fibrillation
- Carotid artery disease
- Family history of stroke
- Previous TIA or "mini-stroke"
Older people are at particularly high risk for stroke.
"While some risk factors can't be changed, stroke is not inevitable just because you have an uncontrollable risk factor," says Dr. Claudette Brooks, assistant professor, Department of Neurology, at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and West Virginia University Stroke Center in Morgantown, W.V. Dr. Brooks serves as director of the WVU Neurovascular Lab and is a lading member of the WVU Stroke Center Team, Stroke Clinic and Stroke Research Clinic. "It simply means you need to pay special attention to risk factors that can be eliminated or controlled. In some instances, following a healthy diet and including regular exercise is not enough to reduce your risk of stroke, so ask your doctor about medication that will help and take it as prescribed. Remember, even if you are taking medication, a healthy diet and exercise continue to play an important role in your health."
Taking simple actions against even one risk factor can help reduce your risk of joining the faces of stroke.
- Get your blood pressure checked. If it's 140/90 mm Hg or higher, control it.
- Visit your doctor regularly to monitor your health.
- If you smoke, stop!
- Start physical activity. Try to accumulate at least 30 minutes of activity on most or all days of the week.
- Learn the stroke warning signs.
