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May 2007 – Reduce Your Risk for Stroke
May is Stroke Awareness Month
Each year, about 700,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke. Stroke kills more than 150,000 people a year and is the No. 3 cause of death in the United State. For many people, however, a stroke could have been prevented.
“Stroke is similar to heart disease in that both are vascular (blood vessel) diseases,” said Diane Book, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin neurologist and medical director of the Stroke Program at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. “By taking steps to reduce the risk factors for heart disease, a person also reduces his or her risk for stroke.
“Preventing a stroke is far preferable to having to treat a stroke. About two-thirds of people who experience stroke will die or have mental and/or physical deficits that range from mild to severe.”
Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked, either because an artery to the brain is blocked by a clot or the artery bursts. When part of the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and they begin to die. This, in turn, affects different functions of the body.
“While we can treat some strokes, it’s important to prevent stroke from occurring in the first place,” Dr. Book said. “Everyone can reduce their risk.”
Stroke Risk FactorsA risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing a disease. The risk factors for stroke are the same as those for heart disease: high blood pressure (the major risk factor), high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Other risk factors include race (African-Americans and Hispanics have a higher rate of stroke), personal/family history of stroke, increasing age and geographical risk (strokes are more common in the southeastern United States — the “stroke belt” — than in other areas of the country, and the cause is unknown).
“While you can’t control some stroke risk factors (such as family history, race or age), many risk factors are within your control,” Dr. Book said. “If a person could do just one thing to reduce their risk, it should be finding out if they have high blood pressure and, if so, treating it aggressively. High blood pressure (hypertension) is the biggest risk factor for stroke, the most treatable risk factor and the most under-treated risk factor.”
Blood pressure is the force in the arteries when the heart beats (systolic pressure) and when the heart is at rest (diastolic pressure). Blood pressure is given in two numbers: the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure. Normal blood pressure is a systolic pressure less than 120 and a diastolic pressure less than 80.
“The lower the numbers, the better,” Dr. Book said. “High blood pressure directly increases the risk of stroke, especially when it’s present with other risk factors. For people with any risk factors for stroke, including those who have already had a stroke, heart attack or other type of vascular disease, the goal is to have blood pressure below 135/85.”
Dr. Book said that about one-third of people with high blood pressure know they have it and control it (with medication and other treatment). Another one-third of people know they have it, but their pressures remain above normal, often despite some treatment. Another one-third of people have high blood pressure but don’t even know it.
People need to be proactive in working with their primary care physician to identify their personal risk factors, especially high blood pressure. Both patients and their doctors need to treat high blood pressure aggressively. Everyone needs to have their blood pressure checked regularly. (African-Americans and Hispanics have a higher risk of high blood pressure than whites.) Doctors should treat high blood pressure with a goal of reducing it to an optimal level (below 135/85), and patients should follow their doctor’s treatment plan.
Reducing Risk FactorsSee you doctor and discuss your personal risk factors for stroke. He or she may recommend that you:
- Know your blood pressure level and keep it under control; if you need blood pressure medication, be sure to take it, even if you feel fine
- Don’t smoke
- Know your cholesterol level and keep it under control
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly
- Get tested for diabetes; if you have it, keep it under control
Follow your doctor’s advice for controlling high blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and managing diabetes to reduce your risk of stroke.
Recognizing StrokeIt’s important to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. You may observe someone having a stroke or you may suffer a stroke and need to alert others of your symptoms.
The warning signs of stroke are:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing on one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Because brain damage can occur within minutes, a stroke is a medical emergency. If any of these symptoms appear, don’t ignore them and don’t wait to seek help. Call 911 immediately. A person having a stroke needs to be evaluated and treated quickly. The longer the delay for evaluation and treatment, the more likely the damage will be irreversible, and the higher the chances of dying or experiencing severe disability.
Stroke and Neurovascular ProgramEffective and safe treatment of stroke requires immediate and expert emergency medical care. A special team at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin has the training and expertise to safely administer the latest stroke therapies. The Froedtert & the Medical College Stroke and Neurovascular Program, established in 1995, was the first of its kind to serve patients in eastern Wisconsin. The program was among the first in the nation — and the first in Wisconsin — to receive certification as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, considered the “gold seal” of approval. Established protocols are used to treat all stroke patients.
Stroke ResourcesSmall Stones, a health resource center of Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, offers many resources related to stroke:
- A Meditation to Support Your Recovery from Stroke by Belleruth Naparstek and Health Journeys
- The Stroke Recovery Book by Kip Burkman, MD Stroke and the Family by Joel Stein, MD
- Life after Stroke by Joel Stein, MD, Julie Silver, MD, and Elizabeth Pegg Frates, MD
- Striking Back at Stroke by Cleo Huttin and Louis R. Caplan, MD
Froedtert & the Medical College offer a Stroke Support Group and community education programs on the topic of stroke.
Author: Marla Fraunfelder Date: May 1, 2007 | Medical Reviewer: | Diane Book, MD | | Medical College of Wisconsin neurologist |
Online Editor(s): Christopher Sadler
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