Introduction
1 in 4 of us will have a stroke in our lifetime, but almost all strokes can be prevented. If you want to avoid a stroke the first step is to understand your individual risk factors.
A) Stroke and Hypertension
Stroke happens either when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off because of a blood clot, or because a brain artery ruptures and leads to a haemorrhage. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, but most strokes can be prevented by addressing a small number of key risk factors – including blood pressure.
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure affects about half of people in the world and often has no noticeable symptoms. Left untreated, it damages blood vessels and can lead to a number of serious diseases including stroke. More than half of all strokes are associated with hypertension or high blood pressure. A simple blood pressure check can determine whether you have high blood pressure and a health professional can advise on whether your condition can be managed with lifestyle changes and/or the right medication.
How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
The only way to check for high blood pressure is to have it checked. When you have a blood pressure check, your health professional will record two numbers known as systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure, the higher number, is a measure of the force with which blood is being pumped around your body. Diastolic pressure is the level of resistance to the blood flow in your body.
How is high blood pressure linked to stroke?
Consistently high or elevated blood pressure makes your circulatory system – your heart, arteries and blood vessels – work harder at their job of moving blood around your body. This extra work causes damage that can make your blood vessels, including those in your brain, harder and narrower over time. This process, known as atherosclerosis, increases the risk of blockages in the blood vessels in your brain. If the blood supply to an area of the brain is cut off or restricted it can lead to permanent brain damage, or death. Atherosclerosis can also increase the pressure the blood flows through blood vessels in the brain causing them to burst and bleed. This is called a haemorrhagic stroke which can also cause permanent damage to the brain or death.
What causes high blood pressure?
Age – if you are aged over 65 you are at higher risk of elevated blood pressure
Genetics – if you have a family history of hypertension you are more at risk
Ethnicity – if you are from a Polynesian, AfroCaribbean or South Asian background you are at higher risk of high blood pressure
Pregnancy – if you are pregnant hormonal changes put you at increased risk of elevated blood pressure and stroke
Health conditions – people with diabetes are likely to have elevated blood pressure; kidney disease can be a result of elevated blood pressure and hypertension can also cause further kidney damage
Exercise – Regular exercise can help you to prevent and manage your blood pressure. 30 minutes of brisk exercise fve times a week is recommended to reduce your risk of stroke and other diseases.
Being overweight or obese – Carrying too much weight, particularly around your middle, puts extra strain on your heart and other organs and increases your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes both of which increase your risk of stroke.
Diet – processed foods contain higher levels of salt, fat and sugar which all contribute to high or elevated blood pressure as well as increasing your risk of obesity. Eating a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, healthy fats and low in salt can help you to prevent and manage hypertension.
Cholesterol – More than half the people with elevated/ high blood pressure also have high cholesterol. Eating a diet low in saturated fats and regular exercise can help to prevent atherosclerosis. If cholesterol cannot be managed by dietary change, taking medications to lower your cholesterol, will help reduce your stroke risk.
Alcohol – Regular and heavy use of alcohol is linked to high blood pressure but also heart rhythm disorders that increase your risk of stroke. Avoiding alcohol or sticking to recommended consumption of no more than 2 units of alcohol a day will reduce your risks.
Smoking – Tobacco smoking temporarily increases your blood pressure and contributes to damaged arteries, high blood pressure and stroke as well as a range of other diseases.
Stress – Stress temporarily increases your blood pressure, if high levels of stress are experienced on a regular basis this can damage your arteries over time increasing your risk of stroke and other diseases. Stress can also contribute to behaviours such as poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption which will increase your health risks.
B) Stroke and Smoking
Smoking tobacco increases your risk of having a stroke. Someone who smokes 20 cigarettes a day is six times more likely to have a stroke compared to a non-smoker. If you are a smoker, quitting will reduce your risk of stroke and a range of other diseases. If you live with a non-smoker, quitting will reduce their stroke risk too.
Why does smoking increase stroke risk?
Tobacco smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals which are transferred from your lungs into your bloodstream. These chemicals change and damage cells and affect how your body works. These changes affect your circulatory system and increase your risk of stroke.
Smoking can affect your body’s cholesterol levels, it reduces the levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and increases he levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. Higher levels of LDL cholesterol increase your risk of stroke.
Smoke from cigarettes contains carbon monoxide and nicotine. Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood while nicotine makes your heart beat faster, raising your blood pressure. Half of all strokes are linked to elevated blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco smoke also make your blood more prone to clotting.
Together these effects of smoking increase your risk of developing atherosclerosis (also known as hardening of the arteries). People with atherosclerosis have narrower, less flexible arteries which reduce the blood flow, contribute to higher blood pressure and increase the likelihood of blood clots. Blood clots that travel to the brain stop blood and cause brain cells to die.
Passive Smoking and Stroke
Breathing in someone else’s tobacco smoke increases your risk of stroke, non-smokers who live with smokers are almost twice as likely to have a stroke than those whose partners didn’t smoke. Smoke free homes and workplaces reduce the risk of stroke.
Is it worth quitting?
Even if you are a long-term smoker, quitting will reduce your risk of stroke almost immediately. Within 8 hours of quitting, your blood oxygen levels will improve and carbon monoxide and nicotine levels in your body will go down by more than half. After 2-12 weeks, your circulatory system will start to improve, after two years your risk will reduce significantly and after five years your risk is the same as non-smokers.
Help to quit
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and can be hard to quit.
Smoking also becomes a habit that people can and hard to stop. You might have to try many times to quit before you manage to kick the habit, but getting specialist help to quit makes it four times more likely that you will kick the habit. Because smoking is so harmful to public health, many governments and agencies have put in place programs to support people who want to quit. Some of these provide access to personal support, online tools and nicotine replacement therapy.
If you want to stop, talk to a doctor or pharmacist about local programs or look online for services that might be available to help you quit.
E-cigarettes and 'Vaping'
Devices which provide nicotine without the toxins found in tobacco smoke have increased in popularity in recent years. These are less harmful than smoking tobacco but are not without risk.
If you have tried other ways of quitting without success, e-cigarettes or vaping devices could help you to reduce your risk of stroke.
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime, but by taking simple steps almost all strokes can be prevented.
C) Stroke and Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of stroke. Globally, excessive alcohol consumption is linked to over 1 million strokes each year.
Why does drinking alcohol increase the risk of stroke?
Drinking too much alcohol either regularly, or ‘one-of’ over consumption can increase your risk of stroke. This is because alcohol is linked to a number of other conditions which are associated with strokes:
- Hypertension – drinking too much alcohol increases your blood pressure. High blood pressure is associated with over half of all strokes. Regularly drinking can lead to damage to your circulatory system which increases your risk of stroke
- Atrial Fibrillation – excessive alcohol consumption can trigger a heart condition called atrial fibrillation (AF). People with AF are five times more likely to experience a stroke. AF can cause blood to clot in the heart, if these clots break up or dislodge they can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. People who have AF related strokes are more likely to die or be seriously disabled following stroke. Alcohol can also interact with medications that your doctor has prescribed to treat AF. If you are taking a blood thinning medication (anticoagulant) called Warfarin, drinking alcohol can prevent your blood from clotting and increases your risk of bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke)
- Diabetes – Alcohol can change how your body responds to insulin – the hormone that helps your body turn sugar in your blood into energy. This can lead to type 2 diabetes
- Being overweight – being overweight increases your risk of having a stroke. Alcohol is very high in calories, so regularly drinking lots of alcohol can lead to weight gain or make it harder to lose weight
- Liver damage – too much alcohol can cause damage to the liver and prevent it producing substances that help your blood to clot. This can increase your chance of bleeding in the brain – known as a hemorrhagic stroke.
What is a 'safe' level of alcohol consumption when it comes to stroke?
The upper daily limit is 2 units of alcohol for men and 1 unit of alcohol for women. An alcohol unit helps to measure and keep track of the alcohol you are consuming across a range of drinks. One unit is the equivalent 10ml of pure alcohol. Because different drinks have different levels of alcohol by volume (ABV) a single unit of alcohol is not the same thing as a single drink.
2 units equals
175ml of wine (12% ABV)
1 pint, 0r 500ml, of beer (3.6%)
2x 25ml of spirit (40% ABV)
Risk reduction
Sometimes we are in situations where we know we are likely to drink more than the recommended limit. While the health risks of doing this regularly are clear, for one of occasions, you can reduce the short-term risks to your health by:
- Setting and sticking to a limit on the total amount of alcohol you drink on any occasion
- Drinking more slowly
- Drinking with food
- Alternating alcoholic drinks with water
Tips for reducing your alcohol consumption
Track your alcohol intake and look at how and when you could reduce your intake
Have 2-3 consecutive alcohol-free days every week
Replace alcoholic drinks with low or no-alcohol alternatives
Go small – instead of a large glass of wine, take a small glass, and instead of a pint, take a half or a small bottle
If you use alcohol to relax, find other healthier methods – exercise is a much healthier way to manage stress.
When to get help
Cutting down on alcohol can be difficult if you are finding it hard to control your drinking, speak to your doctor who can signpost you to tools, information and support.
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime, but by taking simple steps almost all strokes can be prevented.
D) Stroke and Diet
What are good food choices for stroke prevention?
The best diet for stroke prevention is a diet that is mostly plant-based with small amounts of meat, fish. This diet has been described as a ’Mediterranean Diet’ and there is a large body of evidence to support its benefits for cardiovascular health and stroke prevention.
You don’t have to live in Southern Europe to follow the principles of this diet, using the same principles with locally available products will achieve the same result.
Principles of a good diet
- Fruits and vegetables – 5 or more servings per day
- Oily fish, such as sardines, salmon or mackerel – at least 2 portions per week
- Healthy oils – olive oil accounts for most calorific intake in the Mediterranean diet, rapeseed/canola, sesame oil could be used
- Tree nuts and peanuts – at least 3 servings per week
- Legumes, such as peas, beans and lentils – at least three servings a week
Are there foods that I should avoid?
Excessive intake of salt, sugar and saturated fats are associated with increased risk of stroke. Salt increases your blood pressure which is the single biggest risk factor for stroke. Sugar and sugary drinks are linked to stroke, obesity and diabetes which are both risk factors for stroke, so reducing your consumption of these will help you to reduce your stroke. A recent study has found that 2 or more sugary beverages a day increase the risk of stroke.
Avoiding processed foods that are generally higher in salt, saturated fats and sugar is a simple way to avoid foods that increase your risk of stroke.
Foods to avoid
- Red and processed meat high in saturated fat and sodium
- Alcohol – if you are used to drinking alcohol, stick to recommended levels of no more than 1 units of alcohol for women and 2 for men (1 unit of alcohol is equivalent to 40 ml of 40% proof spirits, 80 ml of fortified wine or sherry, 140 ml of table wine or 340 ml of regular beer), drinking even less than that amount is beneficial for your health; if you are not used to drinking alcohol, try do not drink it all
- Sweets, sweetened drinks and foods – sugar can be hidden in lots of foods and drinks, so look at labels
- Added fats – avoid trans-fats, found in cakes and pastries
- Full-fat dairy – try to switch to low-fat varieties
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime, but by taking simple steps almost all strokes can be prevented
E) Stroke and Exercise
1 million strokes a year are linked to physical inactivity, by getting the recommended amount of exercise each week you will reduce your risk of having a stroke.
How does exercise reduce stroke risk?
Just 30 minutes of exercise five times a week can reduce your risk of stroke by 25%.
Exercise plays an important role in reducing several stroke risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, depression and stress. By getting regular exercise you can take action on a number of stroke risk factors.
How much exercise do I need?
You should be as active as you possibly can in your daily life – small everyday activities like walking instead of taking the car, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, gardening and housework will help you to stay healthy and reduce your stroke risk.
In addition to keeping generally active, it is recommended that we all aim for at least 2½ hours a week of moderate to vigorous exercise each week. You can divide this up however you like, but a good way to achieve this target is to be active 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. If you find it hard to schedule half an hour a day, or find it hard to exercise for 30 minutes in one session, it’s OK to break this down into blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and work up over time.
If I am unfit isn't there a risk that exercise could cause a stroke?
It is very unlikely that exercising at the recommended levels will cause a stroke. However, if you haven’t been active for some time, have a condition that increases your risk of stroke or are on medication you should speak to a health professional.
Should I exercise if I've already had a stroke?
If you are a stroke survivor, regular exercise can reduce your risk of having another stroke, your risk of developing dementia, improve your recovery, help with fatigue and improve your general well-being. Even if your mobility is affected by stroke, there is likely to be some kind of exercise that works for you. A physiotherapist or occupational therapist should be able to help you find exercise that works for you.
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime, but by taking simple steps almost all strokes can be prevented.
F) Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a condition where the heartbeat is irregular and often very fast. It is very important to know about atrial fibrillation because, left untreated, AF is a major risk factor for stroke.
Stroke happens either when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut of because of a blood clot, or when a brain artery ruptures and leads to a haemorrhage. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, but most strokes can be prevented by addressing a small number of key risk factors.
If you have AF you are 5 times more likely to have a stroke. With the right treatment the risk of AF related stroke can be reduced.
What is AF?
In people with AF the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria) don’t beat efectively. As a result, blood doesn’t get pumped out properly, it pools and can form clots which can then dislodge and circulate around the body. If these clots travel to the brain and blocks a blood vessel, it can trigger a stroke.
Strokes caused by AF are more likely to be fatal or cause serious disabilities. AF related strokes are, however, highly preventable.
What are the symptoms of AF?
For many people AF is symptomless and is only detected by physical examination, or with an electrocardiogram (ECG). Other people may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
General fatigue | Rapid and irregular heartbeat | Fluttering or “thumping” in the chest | Dizziness or light-headedness | Shortness of breath and anxiety | Weakness | Faintness or confusion | Fatigue when exercising
What causes AF?
The exact cause of AF is unknown. It can affect otherwise healthy individuals, but it is more common with age and is more likely to afect people with previous heart problems or some medical conditions including:
Diabetes
Hyperthyroidism – overactive thyroidgland
Lung conditions – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism and lung cancer
AF is also slightly more common in men than in women.
How is AF diagnosed?
Something as simple as checking your pulse can help to diagnose AF. Some wearable devices monitor heart rate and can help you identify irregularities. A self-check or a wearable device will give you a good indication of whether you could have AF and you should discuss this with your doctor.
If your pulse rate is consistently lower than 60 or higher than 100 you should speak to your doctor. S/he may decide to conduct some tests to make an accurate diagnosis.
Blood tests will identify any underlying conditions such as anaemia or hyperthyroidism
An electrocardiogram (ECG) will monitor your heart rate and rhythm
An echocardiogram will provide an ultrasound image and identifies physical problems with your heart
Implantable cardiac monitors that used for longterm monitoring of heart rate continuously over several months or years
Can AF be treated?
If your AF is caused by an underlying condition, such as hyperthyroidism, treating that condition will often resolve the AF and no further treatment is required. If there is no underlying cause for your AF your doctor will consider medications that will help to restore your heart rhythm, control your heart rate and reduce your stroke risk.
People with AF who have a medium to high risk of stroke are usually prescribed a drug called an anticoagulant. Anticoagulants stops blood from clotting. There are several different types of anticoagulants that your doctor may consider.
Warfarin is a widely used anticoagulant which requires regular blood tests to make sure you are getting the right dose and to reduce your risk of bleeding. It will help reduce your stroke risk, but warfarin can interact with other medications and cause serious problems. If you are prescribed warfarin it is important to always check with your doctor whether any existing or new medications are safe to take alongside warfarin. You should also avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
A number of new anticoagulant treatments are available that don’t interact with other medicines as much and don’t require regular blood tests so often. These drugs will reduce your stroke risk just as much as other medications and in some cases are better at reducing your risk.
If your AF cannot be controlled with medication, your doctor may consider some physical interventions such as cardioversion, catheter ablation or implanting a pacemaker device.
Is there anything I can do to prevent AF?
We can all take steps to reduce our risk of AF. Some lifestyle changes will reduce your risk and can help address other circulatory diseases.
Manage your weight – Being overweight is a risk factor for AF and contributes to diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea, all of which increase your AF risk
Reduce the fat in your diet – Diets high in fat are associated with AF and contribute to atherosclerosis
Stick to recommended levels of alcohol consumption – Excessive alcohol consumption is a risk factor for AF and also contributes to general stroke risk
Avoid stimulants – Stimulant drugs (including those found in over the counter cold medicines), excessive caffeine and ‘energy’ drinks may trigger AF
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime, but by taking simple steps almost all strokes can be prevented.
G) Stroke and High Cholesterol
What is cholesterol and how does it increase my risk of stroke?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that circulates in your blood. Most of the cholesterol in your body is produced in your liver and is carried in your blood by proteins known as lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoprotein – low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density cholesterol (HDL). Stroke is linked to high levels of LDL cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol is often called ‘bad cholesterol’ because if there is too much of it this builds up on artery walls and can cause problems with your circulatory system – this is what increases your risk of stroke.
HDL cholesterol is also known as ‘good cholesterol’ because it helps carry bad cholesterol away from your blood cells and back to the liver, where it can be processed and removed from your body.
How do I know if my cholesterol is too high?
The only way to know if you have high cholesterol is to have a blood test, this can be done by a pharmacist, doctor or nurse. A cholesterol test will measure
- Total cholesterol
- Good ‘HDL’ cholesterol
- Bad cholesterol (LDL or non-HDL) – this makes you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke
- Triglycerides – a fatty substance similar to bad cholesterol
Healthy levels will vary from person to person and your doctor or nurse will be able to tell you what your levels should be, but as a general guide these are the levels which are considered healthy:
What causes high cholesterol?
For most people our cholesterol levels are a result of what we eat. A diet that is high in saturated and trans-fats will increase the levels of LDL cholesterol and increase your risk of circulatory disease and stroke.
Foods that are high in saturated and trans-fats include:
- Milk and white chocolate, tofee, cakes, puddings, and biscuits
- Deep fried foods
- Pastries and pies
- Fatty meat
- Processed meat, such as sausages, burgers and pâte
- Butter, lard, ghee, margarine, goose fat and suet
- Coconut and palm oils and coconut cream
- Full-fat dairy products such as cream, milk, yogurt, crème fraiche and cheese
Other risk factors include:
- A BMI greater than or equal to 25
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
How can I reduce my cholesterol?
There are a number of ways that you can help to reduce your cholesterol. These will also help to address a number of other stroke risk factors. Below are sensible steps to take:
- Increase the amount of fiber in your diet – Eating more fiber, especially that found in eating fruit, vegetables, beans and oats has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol.
- Increase dietary omega 3s – Eating at least one portion of oily fsh, or increasing your consumption of seeds high in omega 3s can raise your HDL levels and support your body’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol from your bloodstream.
- Move more – Engaging in regular physical activity is a good way to reduce your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels.
- Lose weight – Losing excessive weight is the best way to reduce your LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol.
- Stop smoking – Smoking interferes with the body’s natural processes and contributes to higher cholesterol. Quitting will reduce your cholesterol, your stroke risk and your risk of a number of other diseases.
- Take medications to reduce cholesterol.
If your cholesterol levels cannot be managed by lifestyle changes, or if you have a number of risk factors for stroke, your doctor may decide to prescribe medication to help lower the levels in your blood stream.
The most commonly prescribed medication for high cholesterol is a statin. Statins reduce the amount of cholesterol your body makes. There are other medications that your doctor might consider if statins aren’t right for you. If your doctor prescribes statins for you it is important that don’t stop taking them unless you have discussed this with your doctor.
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime, but by taking simple steps almost all strokes can be prevented.
H) Stroke and Diabetes
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, but most strokes can be prevented by addressing a small number of key risk factors.
1 in 5 people who have a stroke are diabetic and people with diabetes have poorer outcomes from stroke compared with the rest of the population.
Stroke and diabetes share many risk factors, most of which can be addressed with lifestyle changes and/or medication. This page provides information about the links between diabetes and stroke and about the steps to take to reduce your risk.
What is diabetes ?
When you have diabetes your pancreas either stops producing insulin, or the insulin it produces doesn’t work properly. Your body uses insulin to convert the sugar (glucose) in your blood to energy. There are two types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes develops when your body stops producing insulin and glucose builds up in your bloodstream. Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood or adolescence.
Type 2 diabetes develops when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body doesn’t react to it in the right way. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than Type 1 and tends to develop in adulthood.
Another kind of diabetes called gestational diabetes can afect pregnant women. It usually goes away after childbirth but can increase a woman’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Why does diabetes increase stroke risk?
Diabetes contributes to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which increases the risk of blood clot or a ruptured blood vessel. People with diabetes are also likely to experience a number of additional stroke risk factors including obesity, poor diet, inactivity, high cholesterol.
How do I know if I have diabetes?
Many people with Type 2 diabetes won’t know they are diabetic as the condition usually gets worse over time. Diabetes is often identifed through blood or urine tests. You should ask your health provider for a test if you have any of the risk factors for diabetes, stroke or cardiovascular disease, or if you have any of the symptoms of diabetes.
Symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Frequent urination, particularly at night
- Excessive thirst
- Fatigue
- Unintended weight loss
- Genital itching and repeated yeast infections
- Cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- Blurred vision
You're most at risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you:
Are over 40 (or 25 for south Asian people)
Have a close relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother or sister)
Are overweight or obese
Are of south Asian, Chinese, African Caribbean or black African origin
Are pregnant, or have previously been diagnosed with gestational diabetes
I) Stress, Depression and Stroke
How does mental health affect our stroke risk?
Around 1 in 6 strokes are linked to depression and stress. People who experience poor mental well-being are almost two times greater risk of stroke and TIA (mini strokes) particularly in adults who are middle-aged and older.
Why does poor mental health increase stroke risk?
Stress causes the body to release hormones which aren’t harmful if the stress is short lived, however when the body experiences persistent stress these hormones can lead to hardening of arteries and blood vessels, this causes a condition called atherosclerosis which is linked to stroke.
Depression has been linked to hypertension and atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart beat) both as a cause and an effect. As people with hypertension and AF are more likely to experience stroke and as these conditions are under-diagnosed, increased stroke risk could be linked to hypertension and AF. (see our website for more information resources on high blood pressure, AF and stroke) There is also some evidence that depression can make the blood more likely to clot more easily which also increases the risk of stroke.
How can I reduce my risk?
Taking care of your mental health will help reduce your risk. If you are depressed or experience a lot of stress in your life talk to a health professional about therapies or medication that might be right for you.
It is also very important that you take care of your physical health and take action on other stroke risk factors such as diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol. Taking steps to reduce these risks will lower your overall risk of stroke and some will also help to improve your mental health. Exercise in particular will not only reduce your risk of stroke, it has also been proven to reduce stress and is as effective as anti-depressant medication for people with mild to moderate depression.
Can anti-depressant medications affect my risk of stroke?
Some research has indicated that taking a type of antidepressant called an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) can increase your risk of stroke. This risk is for strokes that are caused by bleeding in the brain. The risk is however very low – equivalent to 1 more stroke per 10,000 people per year. If your doctor suggests SSRIs as a treatment for depression, you shouldn’t let this research put of taking SSRIs.
Your doctor may want to consider other medications if you have had a brain bleed before, are on blood thinning medication or if you regularly drink a lot of alcohol.
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime, but by taking simple steps almost all strokes can be prevented.
About Us
Genesis & Mission
Stroke Support Group Udaipur (SSGU), was formed on 28th May 2010 with the following objectives :-
- To create awareness about the magnitude of the problem of stroke, identifying the disease in time, breaking myth about the disease and helping in correct and timely management.
- Regular interaction among members, patients and their relatives in the presence of professional to seek solution for any stroke related problem.
- Using various means for dissemination of information regarding prevention and timely interventions for the stroke patients.
- Helping Research and innovation in stroke sciences.
- To support patients and family from acute treatment to rehabilitation morally, medically and financially if possible.
- Helping training of medical professional, paramedics, care giver at various levels.
- To develop stroke support foundation for needy patients so that financial constraint does not become barrier for appropriate treatment.
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