How Much Do You Know About Stroke?
Stroke is the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer and a
leading cause of serious, long-term disability, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Strokes kill about 157,000 people a year, accounting for about 1 of every 15 deaths. Find out more about stroke by taking this quiz, based on information from the AHA and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Having untreated high blood pressure, or hypertension, increases an older adult's risk for stroke by how much?
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About a third of Americans, or 72 million people, have high blood pressure (a reading of 140/90 or greater or using medication to control blood pressure), and up to 90 percent of people who have a stroke had high blood pressure before their stroke occurred, according to the NINDS. That's why it's important to have your blood pressure checked regularly, and if it is high, follow your doctor's recommendations on lowering it. Blood pressure medication can decrease a person's risk for stroke by about 40 percent. High cholesterol and diabetes are other risk factors for stroke that can be controlled. Factors for stroke that can't be changed include increasing age, gender, race or ethnicity, and family history.
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