Reduce Your Risk of Stroke

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National Stroke Association’s Stroke Prevention Recommendations

Know your blood pressure. If it’s high, work with you doctor to lower it.

• High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of stroke. Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year - more often if you have a history of high blood pressure, have had a heart attack or stroke, are diabetic, have kidney disease, have high cholesterol or are overweight.
• Attend a free blood pressure screening in your community.

Find out if you have atrial fibrillation. If you do, work with your doctor to manage it.

• Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is an irregular heartbeat that changes how your heart works and can cause blood to pool in parts of your heart. This blood can form clots and cause a stroke. Your doctor can often tell if you have AF by carefully checking your pulse or by running medical tests, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or a recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Your doctor may choose to give you medications to lower your risk for stroke.

If you smoke, stop.

• Smoking doubles the risk for stoke. If you stop smoking today, your risk for stroke will immediately begin to drop. Within five years of quitting, your stroke risk may be the same as that of someone who never smoked.
• Contact the Tri-County Quits Tobacco Cessation Program to help you quit today.

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

• Heavy drinking can actually increase your risk for stroke. Remember alcohol is a drug – it can interact with other drugs you are taking.

Know your cholesterol number. If it’s high, work with your doctor to control it.

• Lowering your cholesterol (a fat-like substance in your blood) may reduce your risk for stroke. Having high cholesterol puts you at greater risk for heart disease, which can increase your stroke risk. Combined HDL and LDL cholesterol should fall below 200. Often, high cholesterol can be controlled with diet and exercise; some people may need medicine.

If you are diabetic, follow your doctor’s advice carefully to get your blood sugar level under control.

• Having diabetes puts you at an increased risk for stroke. Your doctor can suggest healthy meals, exercise, and medicine that can help control your diabetes.
• Learn more about diabetes management, or attend diabetes education events like walking programs and cooking demonstrations with the CNY Diabetes Education Program.

Include exercise in your daily routine.

• Even a little bit of exercise – a brisk walk, bicycle ride, swim or yard work – can improve your health and may reduce your stroke risk.
• Join a fitness class or go for a swim at our Wellness Center.

Enjoy a lower sodium (salt), lower fat diet.

• By cutting down on salt and fat in your diet, you may lower your blood pressure and, more importantly, lower your risk for stroke.
• Try to eat a balanced diet each day, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and a moderate amount of protein (meat, fish, eggs, milk, buts, tofu, and some beans).

Ask your doctor if you have circulation (blood flow) problems which increase your stroke risk. If so, work with your doctor to control them.

• A build-up of fatty deposits can block the arteries, which carry blood from your heart to your brain. If left untreated, this blockage can cause stroke.

Get screened for prevention

The Stroke Center offers free screenings to the community and local businesses, which include blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. For more information, call the Stroke Center at 315-624-4926.