Nine in 10 strokes are preventable if people follow 10 health rules, a major study has shown.
Although most people believe that strokes are unavoidable, in fact, 91 per cent need never happen if people looked after their health and cut
Nine in 10 strokes are preventable if people follow 10 health rules, a major study has shown.
Although most people believe that strokes are unavoidable, in fact, 91 per cent need never happen if people looked after their health and cut down on smoking and drinking.
In Britain there are 152,000 strokes each year. But the study, from McMaster University in Canada, suggests that 138,000 are avoidable, which would create a huge saving for the NHS. It could also save the lives of around 48,000 people.
The 10 rules to prevent stroke are: lowering blood pressure; exercising; eating healthily; maintaining a healthy weight; preventing diabetes; lowering cholesterol; cutting down on alcohol; stopping smoking; lowering stress and taking preventative medication for any heart arrhythmia.
Out of all the risk factors, the authors found that lowering blood pressure had the biggest impact, cutting in half the chances of suffering a stroke.
Dr Martin O’Donnell, of McMaster said: “The study confirms the 10 modifiable risk factors associated with 90 per cent of stroke cases in all regions, young and older and in men and women.
“The study confirms that hypertension (high blood pressure) is the most important modifiable risk factor and the key target in reducing the burden of stroke globally.” The study, published in The Lancet:Stroke looked at 27,000 stroke victims globally and compared their lifestyles with people who were in good health.
They found the worst culprits were high-blood pressure, which rais