Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Approximately 34 million new cases were newly diagnosed in 2013, which meant almost 7 million people died from stroke that year. The most common causes of stroke include the following: a blood clot in one of the brain’s arteries (which can occur for many reasons), atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high blood pressure, smoking, and certain genetic abnormalities (such as Marfan syndrome).
There are a number of things that can lead to a stroke, and most of them are preventable. In this post, we’ll be discussing the three most common causes of cerebrovascular accidents—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking—along with some ideas on how to prevent them.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of strokes. It’s estimated that up to 90% of strokes are caused by high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, it’s important to take steps to control it: eat healthy food, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and get your doctor’s okay before starting any new medication.
High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is also one of the most common causes of strokes. When cholesterol gets stuck in your arteries, it can block the flow of blood through them and cause a stroke (also known as an embolic stroke). The good news is that if you’re obese or have diabetes or heart disease already, you’re likely at higher risk for having a stroke due to high cholesterol levels than if you were in excellent physical health! What can you do about this? Eat a diet rich
Smoking
Smoking doubles your risk of stroke because it raises blood pressure and decreases oxygen levels in the blood.High blood pressure is a major risk factor. Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 toxic chemicals that are deposited on the lungs or absorbed into the bloodstream, damaging blood vessels. Smoking also increases the risk of heart disease, a heart attack, and sudden death.
While it’s important to recognise and treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol and to reduce smoking as early as possible, there are a few other things you can do to reduce your risk of CVA.
1. Get enough sleep.
Sleep is essential for brain health and function. If you’re not sleeping enough, your stroke risk increases by 10%.
2. Exercise regularly.
Exercise can improve blood flow in arteries throughout your body—including those in your brain—by 15% or more. However, if you are an athlete or regularly participate in any type of sport activity, make sure you are getting adequate rest between exercises so that your muscles do not become overworked and begin to lose strength!
3. Limit alcohol consumption.
You might think that drinking alcohol every night will help protect against stroke; however, drinking too much can increase your risk of developing a condition called “alcoholic cardiomyopathy,” which damages heart muscle tissue and can lead to heart failure if left untreated (and thus an untreated CVA).
With the advent of new and better methods of prevention, we are able to manage and reduce the risk of stroke. Prevention is the best method to manage and reduce risk as well as effectively treat issues. Combining healthy lifestyle challenges with newer drugs and therapies reduces the risk of stroke even further. It is important that we not just monitor these things but actively look for them in anyone who we think might be at risk.
Here at Unique Physiotherapy and Fitness Center, we offer a unique approach to recovery and well-being. We provide the most effective physiotherapy in Abuja to assist you with your pain and injuries. Our therapists work with you to customise a relaxation programme to meet your specific needs. Book a schedule with us today.