•Find out if you have atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm). Doctors can help you manage the AF, but AF patients have a higher risk of stroke because their heart's upper chambers quiver instead of beating effectively, which can let the blood pool and clot. If a clot breaks off, enters the bloodstream and lodges in an artery leading to the brain, a stroke results.
•Stop smoking. Heavy smokers (those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day) are two to four times more likely to suffer a stroke than nonsmokers.
•Drink alcohol only in moderation.
•If your cholesterol is high, work with your doctor to get it treated. Statins, drugs used to treat cholesterol, also seem to help prevent strokes. Men with low good cholesterol (HDL) appear to be at greater risk for stroke.
•If you are diabetic, listen to your doctor's recommendations carefully. Diabetics can't process fats efficiently, so they're more likely to develop plaque in their bloodstreams. Diabetes also interferes with your body's ability to break down clots.
•Question your doctor about hormone-replacement therapy. Women who take medium-to-high doses of HRT are at increased risk for stroke.
•Exercise daily and eat right. Obesity and inactivity contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
