3 Shocking Stroke Risk Factors You Need To Control NOW

Stroke is among the preventable causes of death and disability worldwide, striking millions each year. Though people have a general awareness of some risk factors, according to a new study published in the journal Neurology, three significant risk factors do not only increase the chances of having a stroke but also increase the possibility of it leaving a person debilitated or fatal. The three major risk factors are smoking, high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation-symptoms, all of which, when poorly managed, can lead to a severe stroke, thereafter requiring lifelong care.

It followed nearly 27,000 participants from 32 countries at a mean age of 62. Half of them had experienced a stroke with 4,800 being severe and the 8,600 others mild to moderate strokes. After adjusting other aspects of the study, they find a tight association between high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and smoking with the severity of the stroke.

This is a priority area according to Reddin; its management is a priority, more so for low- and middle-income countries that are witnessing an alarming surge in hypertension and stroke rates. For such countries, where access to health care may not be readily available, public health approaches with a focus on lifestyle changes and adherence to antihypertensive medication can significantly lower the chances of stroke, especially among the younger population.

For quite some time, high blood pressure has been recognized as one of the major risks associated with stroke. According to the new study, the patients suffering from high blood pressure were 3.2 times more likely to suffer from a severe stroke and 2.9 times more likely to suffer from minor to moderate stroke than normal-blood-pressure patients. The opening and weakening of blood vessels due to hypertension can pave way for clots to form and begin their journey towards the brain.

It is also now known that AFib, an abnormal heart rhythm results in poor blood circulation, while increasing severe stroke risk. Such a patient, however, stands to have a 4.7 times chance of experiencing severe stroke and a 3.6 time chance of a mild or moderate stroke. AFib therefore increases the propensity for the formation of blood clots within the heart, which may be circulated to the brain, resulting in a stroke. This is a vicious combination - AFib coupled with high blood pressure is more lethal. It is well known that smoking the risk for patients with AFib to suffer a stroke.

It is a potentially avoidable risk factor. In general, an enormous risk for stroke is associated with smoking. A smoker has a 1.9-fold greater risk to have an ischemic severe stroke and a 1.7-fold higher risk for an ischemic mild to moderate stroke than a nonsmoker. Smoking may cause an ischemic stroke by damaging vessels, lowering the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, and increasing the risk of thrombosis.

While any stroke is serious, the study indicates that severe strokes are the most shattering type of strokes because it usually leads to long-term disabilities like inability to walk or self-care. Those who suffer from a severe stroke usually need nursing care round the clock for the rest of their lives. According to lead author of this study, Catriona Reddin, a geriatrics researcher at the University of Galway in Ireland, managing these risk factors can prevent not only strokes, but disabling strokes that drastically cut down on quality of life.

Armed with the result of this particular research, here are a few practical steps that you can take to lower your stroke risk:

High blood pressure is the most critical modifiable stroke risk factor. Regular checkups and maintaining healthy blood pressure with medication, diet, and exercise are required to lower risks from a stroke.

When you have atrial fibrillation, managing this condition is very important, but your health care provider is to be of great support. Controlling your heart rate and preventing clots with medication, combined with lifestyle changes, will dramatically reduce the risk of stroke.

Quitting smoking is the best hope for recovery after a stroke and the best reduction of your risk to have a stroke in the future. It is one of the biggest risks for having a stroke, and quitting will greatly reduce your opportunities of having a stroke. Seek help whether through counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, or other quit programs to give your body the best opportunity to recover and decrease your chance of having another stroke.

A diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins helps control your blood pressure, prevents heart disease, and therefore reduces your risk for stroke. Consume less sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.

Be physically active to ensure heart health, including the maintenance of healthy blood pressure, as well as overall general well-being. Try doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.