Asymptomatic carotid artery disease. Risk for stroke increases with increasing carotid stenosis. Existing guidelines do not uniformly support endarterectomy for asymptomatic stenosis. Risk is proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked. Light or moderate alcohol consumption may protect against ischemic stroke, but heavy alcohol use increases the risk for hemorrhagic stroke.
Regular exercise reduces the risk for premature death and cardio-vascular disease.
The protective effect of exercise may be mediated by other risk factors. Recommendations include promotion of smoking cessation, regular exercise, moderate alcohol use, and a healthy diet. Conclusions Several interventions reduce the incidence of a first stroke by modifying risk factors. Commentary Clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements should summarize the best available evidence and provide busy clinicians with practical, readily available, unbiased recommendations about patient care. The methods section is complete, and the consensus process is well described.