Lifestyle risk factors of stroke

Lifestyle risk factors of stroke

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Guidelines, the lifestyle risk factors of stroke include:

• Elevated blood pressure
• Cigarette smoking
• Excess abdominal weight
• Diabetes
• Physical inactivity
• Poor eating habits
• Binge drinking or exceeding thirty alcoholic drinks a month
• Cardiovascular diseases such as atrial fibrillation
• Psychological factors such as stress or depression
• Blood fat ratio – apolipoprotein (Apo B) to apolipoprotein (Apo Al)
• Air pollution
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Sickle cell disease

Two kinds of stoke are most common. An ischemic stroke occurs when the artery that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked, with resultant neurological deficits. A hemorrhagic or bleeding stroke occurs when an unhealthy vessel in the brain ruptures.

All of the lifestyle factors above are connected with a higher incidence of ischemic stroke, whereas elevated blood pressure may be related to an increased chance of a bleeding stroke. These risk factors of stroke may also be related with the risk of suffering a myocardial infarction or heart attack.

You can significantly lower your risk of stroke with specific intervention programs that involve:

• anticoagulant drugs
• monitoring and controlling blood pressure
• stopping cigarette smoking
• following a healthy diet
• following an exercise regime

The key here will be implementing the positive health changes to get desired results.

References

1. [Guideline] Goldstein LB, Bushnell CD, Adams RJ, et al. Guidelines for the Primary Prevention of Stroke. A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2010 Dec

Last reviewed 24/Feb/2017