Compiled by Staff
As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Almost 1 in 4 adults will have a stroke at some point in their life with stroke being the 5th leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the US, with up to 3% of Americans reporting that they are disabled because of stroke.
The good news is that there is a lot you can do to reduce your chances of having a stroke. Healthy living is at the core of stroke prevention. Choose healthy food and drinks; keep a healthy weight; get regular physical activity; don’t smoke; and limit alcohol. Up to 80% of strokes can be prevented by these actions alone. You should also work with your medical professionals to control medical conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease that can increase your risk of stroke.
Learn to recognize signs and symptoms of a stroke. The sooner a stroke is recognized, and treatment is started, the risk of death and disability from stroke decreases. Sudden onset of numbness, confusion, trouble seeing, trouble walking, or severe headache of an unknown cause should prompt further evaluation.
If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T.:
- F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
- A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
- T—Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.
Sources: Stroke | cdc.gov; Resource Library | American Stroke Association
Our sponsor ArchWell Health, can review your risk of stroke and work with you to develop the stroke prevention plan most suited for you.
Act to prevent a stroke today. Visit your ArchWell Health center to talk about lifestyle changes that could decrease your risk of stroke.
