Annually, 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke, according to the World Health Organisation. Of these, five million die and another five million are left permanently disabled, placing a burden on family and community.
Alexis Kolodziej, deputy chief executive officer and executive director of influencing and research at UK-based Stroke Association, outlines the steps people can take to reduce their risk of stroke.
Are strokes preventable?
“Some members of the public think that strokes are an inevitable consequence of older age, but that’s absolutely not the case,” says Kolodziej.
Nine in 10 strokes are preventable, according to Stroke Association’s website.
“If you take action on blood pressure, follow healthy living advice and make sure that heart conditions are picked up and monitored, all these things can have a significant positive impact on your stroke risk,” says Kolodziej.
What factors can’t we control?
“The main risk factor that we can’t control is age, as your risk does rise with age,” says Kolodziej.
“Most strokes happen in people who are over the age of 70, but it’s important to be aware that anyone can have a stroke.
“What we’re seeing at the moment is that the rate of incidence is rising in younger people faster than it’s rising in older people. So, we’re seeing more strokes happen to people who are under the age of 55 and we think they are most likely to be due to factors around lifestyle.”
Why does high blood pressure increase your risk of a stroke?
High blood pressure is also a big risk factor for strokes, and plays a part in about half of all strokes, according to Stroke Association’s website.
“High blood pressure puts more pressure on the arteries all over your body, but specifically in your brain, that can cause a bleed,” explains Kolodziej.
“A blood vessel rupturing causes a hemorrhagic stroke.
“Also, when your arteries and blood flow breaks down, it’s more likely for clots to form. Then if they travel to the brain and block blood flow that causes an ischemic stroke that’s caused by a clot.”
So, here are some things that you can do to reduce your risk of stroke at any age…
Check your blood pressure
“It’s never too early to start checking your blood pressure,” says Kolodziej.
“You can get your blood pressure checked at a GP, at most pharmacies and lots of supermarkets are now starting to have blood pressure checking machines too. You can also check your blood pressure at home, as these blood pressure checking machines are much cheaper and much more available than they used to be.”
High blood pressure is generally defined as a consistent, long-term reading of 140/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional.
One of the most effective initiatives to help reduce the incidence of a stroke is a health check at appropriate intervals, says Kolodziej.
Stay active
“Exercise is important because it helps healthy blood flow, and if you have healthy blood flow, it keeps your arteries healthy and reduces the chance of clots and the risk of your arteries rupturing,” explains Kolodziej.
Even simple things, like a walk, can help.
“People often think, oh I must have to be super active to reduce my risk of stroke, but actually, that’s not true,” says Kolodziej.
“Even just going out and having a walk around the block or doing some gardening is really helpful in reducing your stroke risk.”
Be mindful of your salt intake
“Salt is really bad for blood pressure, so it’s important to be mindful of your salt intake,” says Kolodziej.
“Salt is often much more present in food that you don’t cook for yourself. So, check food packaging as there’s a red light system and if it’s red under the salt intake information, then try to stay away from those products.”
“Processed foods often have high salt content, but salt can also be hidden in things like soup or cooked meats so just be mindful of that.”
Quit smoking
“Smoking is one of the worst things that you could do for your stroke risk, because the toxins that you’re putting in your body clog up your arteries,” explains Kolodziej.
“As soon as you quit, your stroke risk starts to reduce, and within five years of quitting, you can reduce your stroke risk significantly. So even if you have been a smoker for years, it’s never too late to quit.”
Alcohol and all recreational drugs raise your risk of a stroke.
Monitor heart conditions
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a type of heart rhythm problem where your heartbeat is not steady, according to the NHS website.
It can make you five times more likely to have a stroke, according to Stroke Association’s website, so it’s important to have it diagnosed and monitored.
“The problem with AF is that often it doesn’t have symptoms, but there are manual pulse checks you can do, and we’ve got a video on our website that shows people how to do it,” says Kolodziej.
“If you’re invited for a health check, when the GP is doing your blood pressure you can also ask them to do a pulse check as well, and they can pick it up.”
Once AF is diagnosed, treatment can help lower your risk.
“If you are diagnosed with AF, you should be offered an oral anticoagulant which is a daily medication that stops blood clots and that significantly reduces the risk of stroke,” says Kolodziej.
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