Stroke Prevention Through Good Health Decisions
Once you know your
stroke risk factors, the next step in
stroke prevention involves minimizing or eliminating the stroke risk factors that you have. So what can you do to help prevent a stroke? Good stroke prevention strategies include:
Controlling Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (also known as
hypertension) is by far the most potent risk factor for stroke. People with high blood pressure have a risk for stroke that is four to six times higher than the risk for those people who do not have high blood pressure. About 50 million American adults have high blood pressure.
People with high blood pressure often have no
high blood pressure symptoms, so have your blood pressure checked every one to two years. If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may suggest you make some lifestyle changes, such as eating less salt (
see DASH Diet) and exercising more. Your doctor may also prescribe
blood pressure medicine to help lower your blood pressure.
Previous
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print