Risk factors
As there is no successful medical treatment, which completely reverses the neurological effects of a completed stroke, interventions that concentrate on stroke prevention are extremely important.
Risk factors for stroke can be divided into two main groups modifiable and non-modifiable.
Non-modifiable risk factors include age, race, gender, and family history. Although these are important indicators of susceptibility for stroke, they are inherent and cannot be altered.
Modifiable risk factors as the term suggests, may be altered with varying degrees of success in reducing susceptibility to stroke.
The main modifiable risk factors for stroke (medical and lifestyle) are summarised in the following list:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure) – ideally, new guidelines advise controlling blood pressure to the level of 130/80.
- Heart disease
- arrythmias
- valvular
- ischaemic/hypertensive
- cardiomyopathy
- Hyperlipidaemia and Cholesterol
- Diabetes mellitus
- Smoking
- High Alcohol Consumption
- Obesity
- Physical Inactivity
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