Prevent Stroke Today, Live Your Best Tomorrow
Prevent Stroke Today, Live Your Best Tomorrow
In the U.S. over half a million people experience their first stroke each year, and up to 80% of strokes may be preventable according to the American Stroke Association. During Stroke Awareness Month this year, make sure you know the daily habits and steps to prevent a stroke.
What is a stroke?
A stroke is a medical emergency. Strokes happen when blood flow to your brain stops. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die.
There are two kinds of stroke. The ischemic stroke, the more common of the two, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. The other kind, called hemorrhagic stroke, happens when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain. “Mini-strokes” or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), occur when the blood supply to the brain is briefly interrupted.
Identifying and managing risk
The new primary prevention of stroke from the American Stroke Association guidelines urges health care professionals to screen people for stroke risk factors, including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, high blood sugar and obesity.
Unidentified or unmanaged cardiovascular disease risk factors are known to cause damage to arteries, the brain and the heart years before cardiovascular disease and stroke occur. For patients, stroke prevention begins by building a relationship with a primary care physician and scheduling regular visits.
During appointments, our primary care physicians at Atrium Health Navicent can help identify modifiable risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, elevated cholesterol and elevated blood sugar, with physical exams and blood tests.
If screenings reveal that you or your loved one has concerning risk factors, your physician can help you come up with a plan to manage these conditions effectively, focusing on healthy lifestyle and behavioral changes. For some patients, medications may also be necessary.
Take an Online Stroke Assessment to Help Determine Your Risk
The online assessment can tell you what your stroke risk is and what you can do to improve your chance of not having one.
Click here to take the free assessment, which can help you estimate your chances of experiencing a stroke, suggest ways to minimize your risk and give you an idea of what to do next based on your results.
Once you take the assessment, it will give you the option of printing it out and consulting with your primary care physician to discuss possible actions you can take to decrease your risk.
Take Stroke Awareness Month seriously this year
At Atrium Health Navicent Stroke Care Center, the common goal is to optimize health and enhance the quality of life for people with stroke by providing appropriate treatment and enhancing public awareness. Whether you are at a higher risk of stroke or it has been a while since you went to the doctor, take this month as your call to action. Stroke prevention – including brain and cardiovascular health – begins when you know your risk.