There are things you can do to prevent stroke. High blood pressure increases your risk of stroke four to six times. Heart disease, especially a condition known as atrial fibrillation or AF, can double your risk of stroke. Your risk also increases if you smoke, have diabetes, sickle cell disease, high cholesterol, or a family history of stroke. To reduce your risk of stroke monitor your blood pressure, track your cholesterol level, stop smoking, exercise regularly and find out if you should be taking a drug to reduce blood clotting.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability.
Four million Americans are living with the effects of stroke. The length of time to recover from a stroke depends on its severity. Fifty to 70 percent of stroke survivors regain functional independence, but 15 to 30 percent are permanently disabled. Stroke places a major health burden on our society in terms of mortality, morbidity and economic costs. Hope Through Research.