Friday, 03/28/2025
Health
9 out of 10 strokes preventable
Update: 04/10/2016
Writing in The Lancet, researchers from Canada's\r\nMcMaster University say 10 stroke risk factors “that can be modified are\r\nresponsible for nine of 10 strokes worldwide.â€
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\r\nestimates 800,000 Americans suffer from strokes each year, making it the fifth\r\nleading cause of death.
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There are two types of stroke, ischaemic strokes\r\ncaused by blood clots and accounts for 85 percent of strokes, while hemorrhagic\r\nstrokes or bleeding into the brain account for 15 percent of strokes.
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The researchers say that by eliminating hypertension\r\nalone, the number of strokes could be nearly halved. The occurrence of stroke\r\ncould be cut by a further 36 percent with more physical activity and by 19\r\npercent by eating a more healthy diet. Reducing alcohol and tobacco intake also\r\nreduces the likelihood of strokes, as does reducing stress, researchers said.
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Other factors included diabetes, obesity, heart\r\nconditions and cholesterol.
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"This study has the size and scope to explore\r\nstroke risk factors in all major regions of the world and within key\r\npopulations," said Martin O'Donnell, a Caster study co-lead.
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"We have confirmed the 10 modifiable risk\r\nfactors associated with 90 percent of stroke cases in all regions, young and\r\nolder and in men and women. The study also confirms that hypertension is the\r\nmost important modifiable risk factor in all regions, and the key target in\r\nreducing the burden of stroke globally."
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The researchers based their findings on data from\r\nnearly 27,000 people from around the world.
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The role of each risk factor varied by region. For\r\nexample hypertension was more of a risk in Southeast Asia than in North\r\nAmerica.
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These findings underscored previous research from\r\nthe INTERSTERILE study, which identified risk factors associated with stroke\r\namong 6,000 subjects in 22 countries.
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“Our findings will inform the development of global\r\npopulation-level interventions to reduce stroke, and how such programs may be\r\ntailored to individual regions,
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as we did observe some regional differences in the\r\nimportance of some risk factors by region,†according to study author Slim\r\nKyushu, a professor at the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster\r\nUniversity.
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“This includes better health education, more\r\naffordable healthy food, avoidance of tobacco and more affordable medication\r\nfor hypertension and dyslipidaemia.â€
\r\n\r\nVOA News