FAL L / WI NTE R 2 0 1 3 F I TL I F E US A MAGA Z I NE | 13
Premium Health News Service
Posted 08/06/2013 at 2:00 pm EST
Source: American Heart Association
Stroke is the nations No. 4 killer. It happens
when a blood vessel that supplies blood to
the brain is blocked or bursts. Nearly 800,000
Americans suffer a stroke each year.
High blood pressure is the chief culprit, and
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good news; you can easily do something about
both. Your best defense is to avoid these heart
conditions through a heart-healthy lifestyle. But
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high blood pressure, theres still a lot you can do
to lower your risk of stroke.
THE STROKE CONNECTION
The brain needs blood and oxygen. When that
doesnt happen and that crucial nourishment
cant reach the brain -- either because of a
clogged artery or a burst vessel -- brain cells
start to die.
For people with high blood pressure, the force
of blood pushing against the arteries as the heart
pumps blood is too high. That causes gradual
damage to the arteries, including those to the
brain. A weakened blood vessel may rupture
in or near the brain, or scarred arteries may
become blocked by a clot or plaque buildup.
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stroke risk increases because the rapid heartbeat
allows blood to pool in the heart, which can
cause clots to form and travel to the brain.
High blood pressure is generally considered the
most common controllable risk factor for stroke,
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Ralph L. Sacco, M.D., professor and chairman
of neurology at the Miller School of Medicine
at the University of Miami and past president of
the American Heart Association.
Somebody with high blood pressure has almost
twice the risk of stroke than somebody without
high blood pressure, he said. But someone
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the risk of stroke.
More than 76 million Americans have high
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hand, affects far fewer Americans -- an esti-
mated 2.7 million.
Because high blood pressure is so frequent,
affecting tens of millions of people, it has a big-
ger impact on the number of strokes attributed
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more potent risk factor.
The two risk factors are also related to each
other: High blood pressure is a risk factor for
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with high blood pressure are at increased risk
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Then it becomes a double whammy, where
you have high blood pressure, as well as atrial
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Sacco said.
HOW TO REDUCE STROKE RISK
Stroke is not inevitable, even if you have high
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or controlling high blood pressure and atrial
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having a stroke. Heres how:
1. Dont smoke.
2. Get regular physical activity.
3. Maintain a healthy weight.
4. Limit alcohol to no more than two drinks
a day for men or one drink a day for
women.
5. Eat a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables
and whole grains. Include low-fat dairy
products and limit salt, saturated fat,
trans fat and cholesterol.
6. Monitor your blood pressure and work to
keep it at your goal.
7. Take your medication as prescribed if
you have high blood pressure or atrial
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Stroke prevention is often the focus of doctor-
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Sacco said. But for people with high blood
pressure, busy physicians dont always rank
discussions about preventing stroke as high as
wed like, he said. We have so many very
effective medicines to treat high blood pres-
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properly treated, were optimistic the number of
projected strokes will go down.
For more information on high blood pressure,
atrial fbrillation and stroke, please visit the
American Heart Association's websites: www.
[Link]/hbp, [Link]/afb and www.
[Link].
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, AFIB AND YOUR RISK OF STROKE
FAL L / WI NTE R 2 0 1 3 F I TL I F E MAGAZI NE | 13
