Habits That Can Lead To A Stroke
A stroke can devastate a life and result in partial paralysis, speech impairments, vision loss, memory issues, and other problems. The good news is that doctors say this stroke disease can be prevented.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off due to a blockage or a ruptured vessel. The American Stroke Association reports that strokes are a leading cause of death and a major contributor to disability in the United States.
According to medical experts, what makes a stroke so frightening is that its risk factors, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, are often silent.
While strokes can cause disabilities and even death, an estimated 80 percent of strokes are preventable through lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, proper diet, and weight management, according ot the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Doctors who specialize in treating strokes say they constantly think about the best ways to lower their own chances, and those of their parents, of having a stroke.
“I like to think of it more proactively— what I could do to prevent stroke,” Dr. Anthony Kim, a vascular neurologist and medical director of the University of California at San Francisco Stroke Center, told HuffPost.
Dr. Kim and Dr. Arthur Wang, director of endovascular neurosurgery at Tulane University School of Medicine, shared with HuffPost the seven habits they avoid—and advise others to avoid—that can lead to a stroke:
1. Being Physically Inactive
Doctors advise against living a sedentary lifestyle because prolonged periods of inactivity, such as sitting too long without getting up or moving around, can lead to chronic conditions that can cause a stroke.
“It’s been shown that regular physical activity helps keep your blood vessels clog-free,” Dr. Wang explained. “It stops the buildup of plaque in the arteries. And so we generally recommend that people get probably 30 minutes of moderate exercise maybe five times a week.”
The exercise could be as simple as taking a walk or gardening. Running, biking, or going to the gym are also good ways to get moving.
2. Ignoring High Blood Pressure
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is commonly referred to as the “silent killer” because it often has no noticeable symptoms. This is why doctors recommend that people with hypertension monitor their blood pressure regularly because this preventable chronic condition can lead to a stroke.
“If you took a magic wand and waved it and suddenly eliminated high blood pressure from the U.S. population, there would be 60% fewer strokes,” Dr. Kim said. “It’s by far the leading risk factor for stroke and we call it the silent killer because oftentimes, patients don’t feel it; you have to have it checked and monitored and treated.”
3. Skipping Medical Checkups
Some conditions that can lead to a stroke, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart rhythm disorders, often don’t have any symptoms. However, a primary care provider could identify these symptoms during a routine health checkup.
“A patient would never know that their blood pressure’s high, they wouldn’t know whether they have high cholesterol unless all of this is routinely tested or screened on a regular basis,” Dr. Wang said.
Primary care doctors will also check for other risk factors, such as blood sugar, weight, and family history of strokes. People who have had strokes, or whose family members have had strokes, are at a much higher risk of future strokes, according to Dr. Wang.
“I think just being hyper-vigilant about those things, especially when these risk factors for stroke are very cryptic, meaning that they don’t manifest in any real symptoms, so it’s really important for patients to understand that, so they take the actionable steps to see their doctor to get these routine screening tests,” Dr. Wang said.
4. Smoking
Doctors say they avoid smoking because it can cause a stroke, but also other serious health conditions, such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Smoking can damage the heart by causing blood vessels to narrow, which, over time, can block blood flow to part of the brain and cause a stroke, Dr. Kim explained.
Drs. Kim and Wang place smoking high on the list of negative habits to avoid.
5. Drink Too Much Alcohol
Along with smoking, drinking too much alcohol ranks high on the list of habits to avoid. Besides being a high-risk stroke factor, excessive alcohol consumption is linked to a risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease, and liver disease.
The CDC defines excessive drinking as more than four drinks in one sitting for women or five drinks in one sitting for men. The agency also considers excessive drinking to be more than eight drinks a week for women and 15 drinks a week for men.
According to Dr. Kim, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that women should not have more than one alcoholic drink a day and men should not have more than two drinks a day.
6. Eating a Poor Diet
Doctors say they avoid diets high in saturated fats, excess sugar, and salt. Dr. Kim noted that there is a link between salt intake and high blood pressure, which is another stroke risk factor. He also suggests following the advice of author and journalist, Michael Pollan, who recommends “eat food, mostly plants, not too much.” This means having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, along with some meat.
7. Ignoring Stroke Warning Signs
While some chronic conditions, such as blood pressure and high cholesterol, are silent, some of the symptoms of a stroke are noticeable. And, doctors who specialize in treating stroke say it’s important to know the signs of a stroke.
The American Stroke Association uses the acronym FAST to help people remember signs of a stroke:
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• Facial drooping
• Arm weakness
• Speech difficulty
• Time to call 9-1-1
According to Dr. Kim, these signs “are not the list of all potential stroke symptoms, but any one of those [factors] raises the suspicion that it could be a stroke, especially if it happens suddenly.”
Dr. Kim emphasized that receiving treatment as soon as possible can reduce the chances of having a long-term disability and permanent damage.
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