A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). It is a dangerous condition that strikes fast, and the person having a stroke needs urgent treatment. If not treated quickly, a stroke can lead to brain damage, serious disability and death.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the number one cause of disability in the United States. But you can control, treat and improve some risk factors related to stroke. Up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented by making healthy lifestyle changes and working with your health care provider to lower your risk.
What Causes Stroke?
Anyone can have a stroke. But certain risk factors increase your chances of having a stroke. Some of those risk factors are things you can’t control, such as your age and family history. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke. Another risk factor is gender – women have more strokes than men and stroke kills more women than men.
But there are risk factors you can control. In fact, the leading cause of stroke is high blood pressure, which is something you can control. Smoking, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol are other risk factors that increase your chances of having a stroke. Your diet and the amount of physical activity you get also play a role.
Manage Your Risks for Stroke
Now is the time to take charge of your health. The best way to lower your chances of having a stroke is to know your risk factors, both the ones you can control and the ones you can’t, and to take steps to reduce those risk factors you can control.
Control your high blood pressure. High blood pressure damages your blood vessels and blocks blood flow to your brain, heart and other organs. Get your blood pressure checked, and get to know your numbers. If you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about medications and other ways to keep it in check.
Quit smoking. Cigarette smoking greatly increases your chances of having a stroke and other health conditions. Quitting will lower your risk and improve your overall health. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit. Or call the Maryland Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Trained professionals are available 24 hours a day to help you.
Lower your cholesterol. Large amounts of cholesterol can build up in your arteries and cause blood clots, which lead to stroke. You can take medications to lower your cholesterol, but there are also lifestyle changes you can make, including eating a heart-healthy diet and getting more exercise.
Eat a heart-healthy diet. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, and eat lean proteins like fish, poultry and nuts. Reduce saturated fats found primarily in red meat, and eliminate trans fats that are often found in things like cookies and potato chips.
Increase your physical activity. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, spread out across as many days as possible. Try to find exercises you enjoy, such as cycling, dancing, aerobics, or anything that gets your heart rate moving. A sedentary lifestyle increases your risk for stroke. Check out Holy Cross Health's fitness offerings.
Manage your diabetes.
Diabetes raises your risk for stroke. If you have Type 1 or 2 diabetes, you can lower your stroke risk by controlling your blood sugar, blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Check out Holy Cross Health's diabetes prevention and management programs.
When Someone Is Having a Stroke
If you think someone is having a stroke, call 911 right away. Every second counts. Nearly 1.9 million brain cells die per minute during a stroke.
Knowing the signs of a stroke can save someone’s life. The best way to remember common stroke warning signs is to think of the acronym “Be Fast,” which stands for: Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech and Time. Learn more about Be Fast* and how to recognize the signs of a stroke here.
If care is needed, Holy Cross Hospital's and Holy Cross Germantown Hospital's stroke programs are award-winning and designated as Primary Stroke Centers by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. The Primary Stroke Center at Holy Cross Hospital also is certified by The Joint Commission, the national credentialing organization for hospitals.
Learn More About Stroke
It’s important to get a physical every year and talk to your primary care physician about your individual risk factors for stroke and other medical conditions. Your doctor may prescribe medications or lifestyle changes that will improve your health and reduce your chances of having a stroke.
For more information about stroke, you can download our Stroke Patient Education Guide or visit the Stroke section of our website.
*Be Fast was developed by Intermountain Healthcare, as an adaptation of the FAST model implemented by the American Stroke Association. Reproduced with permission from Intermountain Healthcare. Copyright 2011, Intermountain Health Care.
Holy Cross Health presents the information in this blog as a resource for our community. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice or to endorse any particular entity or service. Personal health problems should be brought to the attention of the appropriate health professionals.