Stroke & Prevention

Stroke, one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide, can happen to anybody at anytime and anywhere. However, stroke is preventable. This World Stroke Day (29th October), learn more about stroke and the right prevention steps to lower your risk of suffering a stroke, regardless of your age and family history. Also, make sure to share these preventive measures with your loved ones to help them keep their risks at bay.

Before moving to the prevention steps, let’s learn about stroke in brief:

What is a stroke?
In simple words, a stroke is a brain attack. It occurs when there is a blockage in the blood supply to the brain. When there is an interruption in the blood supply, the brain doesn’t get sufficient oxygen or nutrients which, in turn, causes the brain cells to die.

Stroke is a medical emergency. Understanding the first signs of stroke can help you act quickly and lower the risk of brain damage. If you experience these symptoms, make sure to seek immediate medical attention:

● Difficulty speaking and/or understanding speech.
● Weakness or numbness in the arms, legs, and face.
● Loss of balance leading to difficulty in walking.
● Sudden onset of severe headache.
● Vision problems such as blurred vision, blackened vision, and double vision.

Risk factors of stroke
Many people are predisposed to these primary stroke risk factors:
• Increasing age
• Gender
• Family history
• Ethnicity

Other risk factors, many of which you can control, include:
• Smoking cigarette
• Alcohol consumption
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Dyslipidemia (increased cholesterol)
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
• Cardiac diseases
• Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis

Steps to lower stroke risk

Follow these steps to significantly lower your risk of strokes, and encourage your loved ones to do the same:

1) Regular health check-ups
One of the best ways to lower your risk of strokes is to get a health check-up done on a regular basis.Our Neurologistat NeotiaGetwel Healthcare Centre, Siliguri, can help you maintain good health and assist you in lowering your stroke risks. Book an appointment online with one of our Neurologist at https://www.neotiagetwelsiliguri.com/book-an-appointment/

2) Watch what you eat
Your diet plays an important role in determining your stroke risks. With a healthy and balanced diet, you can maintain healthy blood cholesterol and sugar levels. Lower your intake of food items such as ice cream, burgers, and cheese as they play a key role in increasing your bad cholesterol levels. Also, make sure to limit your salt intake to a half teaspoon (1,500 milligrams) per day.

3) Get physically active
Being physically active is one of the best ways to lower your risk of stroke. Do light to medium-intensity exercises such as walking, jogging, cycling, and garden work. These exercises help you keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check.

4) Quit smoking
Smoking accelerates plaque buildup in the arteries. Quitting smoking is one of the most important lifestyle changes to make when it comes to lowering your risk of stroke.

5) Limit the use of oral contraceptives
Oral contraceptives with a high estrogen content increase the risk of blood clots that can cause strokes. Women over age 30 are especially at a higher risk. It’s best to seek birth control methods that are safe for you with the help of a doctor.

Learn more about stroke and lower your risk
Found the tips helpful? Our team of some of the best Neurologist in Siliguri can help you learn more about strokes and the right preventive measures to take.