Risk of stroke: 10 identified factors
Scientists have succeeded in quantifying the importance of potentially modifiable risk factors for stroke in various regions of the world. Stroke is a condition which rightly strikes fear into the hearts of most people. Following is a list of these factors, as well as some advice not included in the study.
Unsurprisingly, hypertension, smoking, lack of exercise and excess weight are all risk factors which particularly affect Western populations. In no particular order, here are the 10 factors identified by researchers in the Interstroke study as being collectively associated with almost 90% of the population-attributable risks (PAR) of stroke across the world (1):
- Hypertension
- Lack of physical activity
- Diet
- Excess weight
- Psychosocial factors (depression, stress, anxiety)
- Smoking
- Heart problems
- Alcohol consumption
- Diabetes mellitus
- Ratio of apoliprotein A to apoliprotein B.
It takes just a few minutes
A stroke is a condition in which the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. It occurs when a blood vessel bursts or is suddenly obstructed by a blood clot. Thousands of cells become deprived of vital oxygen and nutrients. Just a few minutes is all it takes for them to die: and they do not regenerate. The larger the oxygen-deprived area, the greater the risk of significant after-effects. This is why stroke victims suffer difficulties with speech and memory, and varying degrees of paralysis. Only 1 in 10 fully recover.While there is still much to discover about the brain, the good news is it can, to some extent, adapt. When nerve cells receive sufficient stimulation, they can sometimes take over from oxygen-deprived cells.
Prevention is best
Given that it is so difficult to regain 100% of pre-stroke function, prevention is critical. The problem is that stroke is entirely unpredictable. As there are no warning signs, it’s vital to be aware of the 10 risk factors identified by the scientists in this Interstroke study. Public health campaigns repeat the same advice again and again - give up smoking, take up exercise, relearn healthy eating habits and eliminate day to day stress - but all too often, they fall on deaf ears. Sometimes it takes a minor scare – a mini-stroke - for a person to realise just how urgently they need to make changes to their lifestyle. Frequently, however, a stroke occurs out of the blue. Hypertension, a major risk factor but one which produces no visible symptoms, is often responsible.Key role of magnesium in circulation
There is another way of reducing risk of stroke which many people may be unaware of. Scientific research has shown that a diet rich in magnesium, and particularly, potassium, lowers blood pressure and helps prevent stroke (2,3). Potassium is found mainly in nuts, seeds, pulses and dark green leafy vegetables, consumption of which is unfortunately declining … Thus potassium supplementation may represent a good option for stroke prevention. According to the existing literature, around 75 mEq (close to 3.5g) a day is an appropriate dose for lowering your risk(4). For information, a normal adult’s needs vary between 40 and 80 mEq.Most people with a friend or relative who is a stroke victim admit they’re not afraid of dying from a stroke, but of surviving one because of its serious, life-changing consequences. Do we really need to experience stroke directly or indirectly before we grasp the importance of prevention?
SUPERSMART ADVICE
References
- O’Donnell MJ, Chin SL, Rangarajan S, et al. Global and regional effects of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with acute stroke in 32 countries (INTERSTROKE): a case-control study. The Lancet, 2016. Doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30506-2.
- Ding EL, Mozaffarian D. Optimal dietary habits for the prevention of stroke. Semin Neurol. 2006 Feb;26(1):11-23. Review.
- McCarron DA, Reusser ME. Are low intakes of calcium and potassium important causes of cardiovascular disease? Am J Hypertens 2001;14:206S-12S.
- Gennaro A. Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy. 19th ed. Lippincott: Williams & Wilkins, 1996
Keywords
17 Days
Reliable delivery
Reliable delivery. Good product.
Viva
31 Days
Great service
Great service
cl
32 Days
Received product promptly and its early…
Received product promptly and its early days but seems to have improved my daughters alertness.
Anandi
43 Days
Amazing
Amazing, great product!
ALEX Sinclair
46 Days
Good products and Swift handling
Good products and Swift handling
Trusted
51 Days
I trust the company's product
I trust the company's products, the quality is trustworthy and the speed of delivery is also appreciated.
NAJIB Malaah
51 Days
Good job.
This company is serious when it comes to serving it's customers. They are fast to send out the orders. Their site is great and easy. Also, they treat their return customers with great deals and discounts. Keep up the good work.
ABDULQADER Jehad
52 Days
I know frech ( level 3 of 6) and can…
I know frech ( level 3 of 6) and can read your messages, but since order are official documents I'd like to have this in english. Merci Ursula Mathes
Ursula Mathes
56 Days
I worried the delivery.
Box was intact, content correct but delivery time was 12 days. I started to worry!
VIITANEN Esa
58 Days
Supply of Chondroitin 6-sulphate
The company has provided the required product efficiently with no complications.
OldBear
60 Days
Supersmart sell a lot of interesting…
Supersmart sell a lot of interesting stuff. More than jut the usual vitamins though they do all those as well. Ordering pretty straightforward - you may need to try a couple of times to get the offers to apply but they do work. I queried something and had a fairly quick sensible reply. Postage takes a couple if days but you do get good progress information. Very well packed. Bought from Supersmart a few times and will do so again.
AT Griffin
14 Days
Excellent
On m'a mis bien.
cliente
16 Days
qualité des produits et services
qualité des produits et services
denis riegel
18 Days
Nehme das Produkt noch zu kurz um eine…
Nehme das Produkt noch zu kurz um eine Bewertung abgeben zu können
Ermelinde
18 Days
Très satisfait
J'apprécie la facilité de navigation sur le site, le suivi des commandes, et bien sûr, la qualité des compléments alimentaires.
LE COUR SERGE
Ramin H.
17/11/2022
Thanks for the article!