With a stroke every 4 minutes, stroke represents the leading cause of death in women, according to Inserm. More than 121,000 people were affected by an acute stroke in France in 2021 according to the Health Insurance website, and this condition would be the leading cause of acquired disability in adults.
There are two types of stroke: cerebral infarctionsmost often due to occlusion of a brain artery by a blood clot, and brain hemorrhages, which correspond to the rupture of a cerebral artery. If certain factors put you at greater risk of stroke, such as age or family history, certain good habits can help protect against strokes, or their serious health consequences. In a recent publicationexperts from the American Stroke Association, a branch of the American Heart Association, have provided 3 tips for knowing how to react to the risk of stroke.
Stroke: 3 recommendations to know to protect your health
Inserm emphasizes the fact that a stroke can occur at any age and affect many different profiles. The American Stroke Association’s recommendations can therefore help many people to better predict their risk of stroke and know how to react accordingly. Here is 3 tips from experts at the American Stroke Association to better protect yourself from the risk of stroke and its possible side effects.
Learn to recognize a stroke
Experts first emphasize the importance of know how to recognize a stroke, in order to react in time and avoid possible aggravations. To know what signs should alertl’American Stroke Association a mis en place the English acronym FAST :
- F=facial sagging (“face dropping” in English), which can correspond to numbness of part of the face, or difficulty smiling;
- A=weakening of the arm (“arm weakness” in English), which can manifest as numbness in one or more arms and difficulty lifting them;
- S=speech problems (“speech difficulties” in English), that is to say difficulties in speaking and being understood;
- T=time to call for helpif anyone has any of these symptoms, while noting the time of their appearance.
Know your blood pressure
High blood pressure is a modifiable risk factor for stroke, which is why experts from the American Stroke Association emphasize the importance of trying to keep it within normal values. According to Ameli.fr, we speak of high blood pressure when the systolic blood pressure is greater than 140 mmHg, or when the diastolic blood pressure is greater than 90 mmHg. To keep your blood pressure under control, it is therefore essential to measure it regularly.
Preventing another stroke
Experts from the American Stroke Association point out that having had a stroke increases the risk of having a second one. According to them, it is therefore important to identify the causes of the first stroke, by discussing with your doctor, in order to be clear about its risk factors and learn to manage them. In fact, they recall thata large proportion of strokes can be prevented through lifestyle changeslike physical activity, foodmanagement of atrial fibrillation, or even high blood pressure.
Sources :
- 3 ways to protect your heart and brain this American Stroke Month – American Heart Association – 1er mai 2024
- Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) – Inserm
- Understanding stroke and transient ischemic attack – Ameli.fr
