Stroke - Prevention
Risk Factors for a Stroke
Stroke prevention is still the best medicine. The most important treatable
conditions linked to stroke are:
- High blood pressure. Treat it. Eat a balanced
diet, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise to reduce blood pressure. Drugs
are also available.
- Cigarette smoking. Quit. Medical help is available
to help quit.
- Heart disease. Manage it. Your doctor can treat
your heart disease and may prescribe medication to help prevent the formation of
clots. If you are over 50, NINDS scientists believe you and your doctor should
make a decision about aspirin therapy.
- Diabetes. Control it. Treatment can delay
complications that increase the risk of stroke.
- Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Seek help. TIAs
are small strokes that last only for a few minutes or hours. They should never
be ignored and can be treated with drugs or surgery.
Symptoms of a Stroke
If you see or have one or more of these symptoms, don't wait, call 911 right
away!
- Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of
the body.
- Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause. .
Treatment can be more effective if given directly. Every minute counts!
