CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —
For the first time since 2014 the American Stroke Association has updated its series of Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke.
These new guidelines stress that strokes are preventable and can be stopped at the source with early intervention and better daily habits.
The guidelines point to a series of steps Americans can take to ensure they keep their risk factors, such as blood pressure, diet and cholesterol, in check.
"Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly 160,000 people unfortunately die from stroke every year. Around 800,000 strokes happen every year. Out of those 800,000, around 600,000 would be the first stroke," Corpus Christi Medical center neurologist," Dr. Ziad Darkhabani said. "The most important factor we would like people to know about strokes is that it is preventable."
He added that the most important strategy, and the one that is at the top of the American Stroke Association's list, is for patients to have a primary care doctor that can perform routine health screenings.
"Having a primary care provider from birth to an old age is incredibly important to identify the risks, mitigate the risks and reduce the risks of stroke." Darkhabani said.
The American Stroke Association also points to regular physical activity to improve blood pressure, insulin resistance and weight management.
Dr. Darkhabani says it's all about changing your daily habits. Over his years of working in stroke and intervention, he realized that there was a misconception amongst patients and the general public that strokes happened at random and weren't preventable.
"And this has significantly changed over the years. The idea that stroke is preventable is also a very important concept nowadays especially when we understand that 80% of strokes can be preventable if we treat and manage the risk factors aggressively," he said.
The CDC reports that every 40 seconds, someone in U.S. has a stroke, and every 3 minutes somebody dies of one.
If you're ever in a situation where you feel someone, you're with may be having a stroke, the American Stoke Association recommends using the F.A.S.T. Warning Signs.
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