Even though deaths from heart disease and stroke have decreased in recent years in the United States, they’re still among the nation’s top killers. Cardiovascular disease — which includes strokes — kills more than all cancers and accidents combined.
The most troubling part of those troubling statistics is that, in most cases, cardiovascular disease and stroke are preventable. Losing weight, exercising regularly, and giving up smoking and alcohol could all decrease your risk.
May is Stroke Awareness and High Blood Pressure Awareness Month. Our expert cardiologist, Dr. Ola Akinboboye, monitors your blood pressure and treats cardiovascular disease at our office in Rosedale, Queens, New York.
If you have high blood pressure, you’re at increased risk for stroke. Here are eight facts you should know.
Due to our tendency to rely on prepared and processed foods — and the conditions such as obesity and diabetes that arise from a calorie-heavy, nutrient-poor diet — Americans are at high risk for high blood pressure and stroke. One in three Americans has one or more risk factors for stroke.
Unlike your pulse, you can’t feel your blood pressure. Your blood pressure could be dangerously high, putting you on the verge of a stroke, and you wouldn’t even know it.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is referred to as the “silent killer” because it has no symptoms. That’s why your doctor takes your blood pressure every time you show up in their office. The only way to determine your blood pressure is with a blood-pressure monitor.
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you can purchase a home monitor so you can instantly see if your pressure becomes elevated and contact your doctor. If you don’t know your blood pressure, schedule an appointment with your cardiologist or physician ASAP.
Your risk for stroke (and most diseases) increases as you age. However, if you have risk factors such as obesity, you could have a stroke at virtually any age. Somewhere between 10-14% of all strokes occur in women and men under the age of 50.
Strokes affect all races and sexes. However, race and ethnicity can tip you into a higher risk category. Non-Hispanic Black women and men have a 200% greater risk of a first stroke than white women and men do. Men and women who are non-Hispanic Black or are Pacific Islanders are more likely than other ethnicities to die from stroke.
Once a stroke is in process, you have to get to the emergency room as soon as possible. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or another, call 911:
F - facial drooping or twisting
A - arm weakness
S - speech difficulties
T - time to call 911
Getting to the hospital in time could literally make the difference between life and death.
Your organs are all interrelated. What you put in your mouth and how well you clean your mouth literally affects every other part of your body.
In addition to eating good, fresh foods, you must properly clean and floss your teeth after eating. Flossing your teeth just once a week (but you should do it daily!) can reduce your risk of blood-clot-related ischemic stroke by 22% and cardioembolic stroke by 44%.
Don’t drive someone to the hospital if you think they’re having a stroke. Call 911. The emergency medical technicians administer treatment as soon as they arrive. Early treatment increases your chance of recovery.
Even if you survive a stroke, you may have significant impairment that makes your daily life difficult, if not impossible. You may need long-term physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical care, and other forms of support.
Lower your risk of stroke by managing your blood pressure and other lifestyle-related risk factors: Call us at 718-208-4816 or use our online outreach form today.
