A large number of strokes could be prevented – say new guidelines aimed at saving lives and helping people. Stroke has been the fourth leading cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a million Americans get the deadly, life-threatening condition every year. However, doctors say up to 80 per cent of strokes can be preventable with better nutrition, exercise, and identification of risk factors.
The first new guidelines on stroke prevention in ten years from the American Stroke Association – a division of the American Heart Association - include recommendations for people and doctors that include a better understanding of who gets strokes and why, along with new drugs that help reduce risk. The guidelines aim to help reduce the risk for stroke apart from keeping you fit and healthy, motivating you to consume a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and stop smoking – all of which are the first-line risk factors for the condition. However, doctors say it may not always be easy to sustain.
What is a stroke? Doctors say a stroke happens when blood flow to your brain gets blocked or there is sudden bleeding in the brain. It deprives your brain of oxygen, which leads to brain damage, causing difficulty and issues with thinking, talking, walking, also sometimes, death. Strokes are of two types – the one that occurs because blood flow to the brain is blocked is called an ischemic stroke.
The brain cannot get oxygen an.
