The Risk Factors and Prevention of Strokes
Stroke is in the news again. This time with a tragic result as Minnesota Twin Hall of Famer, Kirby Puckett, died from a stroke at the age of 45.
This is the third significant story concerning cerbrovascular accidents (CVA), or stroke, in the last year and a half. Teddy Bruschi suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is a “mini-stroke” shortly after the 2005 Super Bowl and then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had a major CVA earlier this year.
I poked fun at Pat Robertson’s reasons for CVA in a previous post, but I think I’ll discuss it seriously here.
CVA are the equivalent to a heart attack only in the brain. They are the third leading cause of death in the United States behind malignancies and heart disease and they are one of the most expensive medical conditions to treat due to the long rehabilitation and significant morbidity that ensues after a CVA.
So what are the risk factors and how can a stroke be prevented?
Well sometimes it cannot be prevented. Teddy Bruschi was an unfortunate example of this. He had an atrial septal defect (ASD), which allowed a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) to travel from this right heart through a hole to the left heart and into his systemic circulation. This ultimately lead to the DVT traveling through is carotid artery and into the anterior circulation in his brain.
Other times people can have aneurysms that rupture resulting in hemorrhagic CVA, and unless the aneurysms are detected early it is difficult to prevent this type of CVA.
However, hemorrhagic CVA and Bruschi’s case are rare and the majority of CVA can be prevented either through therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC), such as exercise and diet, or medications. The Joint National Commission Seven panel stated that by treating hypertension (HTN), high blood pressure, alone could result in a 25% decrease in myocardial infarction (MI), heart attack, and a 40% reduction in CVA.
Treating HTN, if present, is very important. Individuals should also try to eat a healthy diet low in saturated fats, high in omega-3-fatty acids and green vegetables as well as participate in moderate physical activity for 30 minutes at least five days per week. Moderate physical activity includes such activities as walking, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house or jogging.
The risk factors for CVA are similar to those for coronary heart disease and include: 1. Age (the older the age the greater the risk); 2. Sex (males are at an increased risk over females); 3. Race (African Americans are at a higher risk than white Americans); 4. Documented coronary or carotid atherosclerosis; 5. Previous CVA; 6. Positive family history; 7. Type II diabetes mellitus; and 8. HTN. Smoking is the number one cause of heart disease and a significant risk factor for stroke as well.
Kirby Puckett’s untimely death is an unfortunate reminder about the consequences of unhealthy living and vascular disease. Prevention of CVA and early recognition and treatment of a stroke are essential in avoiding the disastrous consequence that could ensue.
This is the third significant story concerning cerbrovascular accidents (CVA), or stroke, in the last year and a half. Teddy Bruschi suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is a “mini-stroke” shortly after the 2005 Super Bowl and then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had a major CVA earlier this year.
I poked fun at Pat Robertson’s reasons for CVA in a previous post, but I think I’ll discuss it seriously here.
CVA are the equivalent to a heart attack only in the brain. They are the third leading cause of death in the United States behind malignancies and heart disease and they are one of the most expensive medical conditions to treat due to the long rehabilitation and significant morbidity that ensues after a CVA.
So what are the risk factors and how can a stroke be prevented?
Well sometimes it cannot be prevented. Teddy Bruschi was an unfortunate example of this. He had an atrial septal defect (ASD), which allowed a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) to travel from this right heart through a hole to the left heart and into his systemic circulation. This ultimately lead to the DVT traveling through is carotid artery and into the anterior circulation in his brain.
Other times people can have aneurysms that rupture resulting in hemorrhagic CVA, and unless the aneurysms are detected early it is difficult to prevent this type of CVA.
However, hemorrhagic CVA and Bruschi’s case are rare and the majority of CVA can be prevented either through therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC), such as exercise and diet, or medications. The Joint National Commission Seven panel stated that by treating hypertension (HTN), high blood pressure, alone could result in a 25% decrease in myocardial infarction (MI), heart attack, and a 40% reduction in CVA.
Treating HTN, if present, is very important. Individuals should also try to eat a healthy diet low in saturated fats, high in omega-3-fatty acids and green vegetables as well as participate in moderate physical activity for 30 minutes at least five days per week. Moderate physical activity includes such activities as walking, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house or jogging.
The risk factors for CVA are similar to those for coronary heart disease and include: 1. Age (the older the age the greater the risk); 2. Sex (males are at an increased risk over females); 3. Race (African Americans are at a higher risk than white Americans); 4. Documented coronary or carotid atherosclerosis; 5. Previous CVA; 6. Positive family history; 7. Type II diabetes mellitus; and 8. HTN. Smoking is the number one cause of heart disease and a significant risk factor for stroke as well.
Kirby Puckett’s untimely death is an unfortunate reminder about the consequences of unhealthy living and vascular disease. Prevention of CVA and early recognition and treatment of a stroke are essential in avoiding the disastrous consequence that could ensue.
posted by az at 8:37 AM
2 Comments:
You are correct my friend, it is a sad day. Christopher Reeves' wife died today of lung cancer as well.
You know who else may die, the person who called me a douchebag.
yes they may die. deservedly so.
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