A stroke comes as a complete surprise to most people. However, they can often contribute a lot to prevention themselves. This is what US experts recommend.
Strokes are one of the most common causes of death worldwide. However, doctors from the USA say: four out of five of these incidents could be prevented.
Accordingly, a stroke could be effectively prevented if known risk factors were consistently avoided or treated. In particular, reducing high blood pressure, the biggest risk factor, could prevent many strokes. This is what experts from the American Stroke Association are currently reporting.
Avoiding smoking, eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise also play an important role in prevention. It also helps to carry out regular medical checks in order to identify and treat risk factors in a timely manner. According to the experts, up to 80 percent of first-time strokes could be avoided in this way.
A new medical guideline from the American Stroke Association suggests that people should be screened for typical risk factors for a stroke, including high blood pressure, obesity and elevated cholesterol and blood sugar levels. These diseases could cause damage to the arteries, brain and heart years before cardiovascular disease and strokes occur.
According to the experts at the American Stroke Association, a heart-healthy lifestyle includes:
If healthy values cannot be achieved through behavioral changes, the guidelines say medication can help reduce the risk.
The guidelines also contain recommendations specifically tailored to women. There are special risk factors for them that lead to an increased risk of stroke. These include taking birth control pills, high blood pressure during pregnancy, endometriosis and early menopause.
For example, studies show that women who developed high blood pressure (hypertension) during pregnancy are five times more likely to have a stroke than those without high blood pressure during pregnancy. The authors of the guideline therefore consider regular screening for these risk factors to be a “sensible step”.