Stroke is a condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced due to blood clots or other particles blocking the blood vessels to the brain (ischemic stroke) or rupture of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Without blood, the brain will not receive oxygen or nutrients, so cells in certain areas of the brain die. This condition makes the part of our body that is controlled by the damaged area of the brain not functioning.
There are some factors that put a person at risk for stroke. These risk factors are divided into two groups namely those that cannot be controlled and those that can be controlled. Here are the factors that cannot be controlled:
- Age
The risk of having a stroke will increase after the age of 55 years. The age most experienced by stroke is the age of 65 years and over.
- Gender
Stroke strikes 19% more men than women. This is because women have estrogen hormone which plays a role in maintaining immunity until menopause and as protection from the process of atherosclerosis. But after they experienced menopause, the risk of stroke between men and women became equal.
- Family History of Stroke
Descendants of stroke patient are known to cause changes in early atherosclerosis signs, namely the process of accumulation of fatty substances under the layers of blood vessel walls that can trigger stroke.
Meanwhile, the factors that can be controlled are:
- Hypertension
Hypertension accelerates the occurrence of atherosclerosis by causing mechanical injury to endothelial cells (blood vessel walls) in areas that are experiencing high pressure. If the pressure happens for a long time, it can cause weakness in the walls of blood vessels so that they become brittle and break easily.
- Obesity
If you eat a lot of food that contains a lot of bad fats (such as cholesterol), then this can cause the accumulation of fat along the blood vessels. The accumulation of fat can narrow blood vessels that cause less smooth blood flow and trigger blockages in blood vessels which in turn are at risk of stroke.
Then, how to prevent stroke?
- Maintain Healthy Diet
The main step to prevent stroke is to do a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a healthy diet, consuming too much salt and fatty foods can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk of triggering a stroke.
- Do Regular Exercise
Regular exercise can make the heart and circulatory system work more efficiently. Exercise can also keep cholesterol levels, weight, and blood pressure at normal levels.
- Do not smoke
The risk of stroke is doubled if a person smokes this is because smoking can narrow blood vessels and make blood clot easily.
Ladies, by knowing the risk factors of stroke, hopefully, we can avoid the factors that exist to protect us from strokes in the future! To enrich your knowledge about stroke and other diseases, also read other health articles from Fitie!
Sources :
Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. Stroke. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [online]. https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/index.htm
Kharti, M. (2021). Top Causes of Stroke. WebMD. [online]. https://www.webmd.com/stroke/guide/stroke-causes-risks