Stroke is a medical emergency. It happens when a blood vessel in the brain is either blocked or leaks and bleeds. It can cause serious health complications, even fatality, if medical treatment is not provided as quickly as possible. Stroke risk increases with age. Older adults aged 55 or more are at a much higher risk of stroke than any other age group, so reducing the risk is paramount by scheduling regular visits to an internal medicine physician. Here are some ways to lower the risk of stroke in people aged 50+.

Stroke Prevention Tips For Older Adults

According to stats, approximately 75% of stroke patients are aged 65 and over. Stroke is also the second leading cause of death in people aged 60+. So, here are ways to lower stroke risks.

Some risk factors are beyond your control, such as family history, gender, older age, ethnicity, etc., but you can follow these tips, as they are considered effective because you can manage a lot of other things like your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, etc.

Manage Your Blood Pressure

Hypertension is a big cause of strokes, so managing it can help you lower stroke risk. Regardless of whether you have hypertension or not, check your blood pressure regularly. You can do it at home if you have the kit or visit a pharmacy. If you notice any changes, see your doctor for management.

If you have hypertension, your doctor may have prescribed you medication and/or suggested lifestyle changes like exercise, a balanced diet, lower sodium (salt) intake, etc., to manage hypertension. Follow the management plan properly to keep the blood pressure at optimal levels.

Control Your Blood Sugar

If you have diabetes, you must manage your blood sugar to avoid many health complications, including stroke. Chronically high blood sugar in the blood vessels makes them narrower and stiffer. This can increase the likelihood of a blockage or a clot.

Therefore, for diabetics, checking blood sugar regularly and following the medication and/or advice of the doctors, such as lifestyle changes, exercise, and a balanced diet, are critical to lowering stroke risk.

Note that even if you don’t have diabetes, many people over 50 might have prediabetes, which can be the beginning of diabetes in some people. And people with prediabetes are at a 20% higher risk of stroke than those who don’t have it. So, get your yearly or bi-yearly HbA1c sugar test to check your blood sugar levels.

Manage Cholesterol

Although it depends on whether you have high cholesterol or not, remember that it’s a major factor that can increase stroke risk if unmanaged. High cholesterol can lead to plaque or blockages in blood vessels that can also form in the brain and cause stroke.

If you have high cholesterol, take your medication and get tested. The test performed is usually a lipid panel that measures various fat levels. If you have a family history of stroke or other chronic diseases, your doctor may want you to be more careful even if you currently don’t have high cholesterol and may suggest tests and management accordingly.

And if you don’t have high cholesterol and are not in the high-risk group, you can get the cholesterol test once every 4 years or so.

Check For A-fib (Atrial Fibrillation)

A-fib is a heart condition where the upper chambers of the heart don’t pump blood properly. This can form blood pooling and clots that can make their way to the brain and cause strokes. People with A-fib have a five times higher risk of a stroke than those who don’t have it, so checking for it is vital for your health.

Therefore, see your primary care doctor Columbia to check for A-fib. The health problem is scary, but its diagnosis is simpler and non-invasive. After the diagnosis, you may be prescribed blood thinners to prevent blood clotting.

Treat Or Manage Sleep Problems

Sleep issues like insomnia, sleep apnea, or anything that keeps you from natural deep sleep are stroke risk factors. Chronic sleep disturbances due to internal or external factors can increase the risk of hypoxia (oxygen drops), blood clotting, chronic inflammation, etc.

So, if you’re not getting enough sleep, waking up gasping for air, or feeling daytime sleepiness, consult a doctor for diagnosing the sleep problem and treating or managing it.

Manage Or Reduce The Risk Of Carotid Artery Disease

CAD is a stroke risk factor. Carotid artery disease is a condition where the main arteries on the sides of the blood vessels become narrower due to plaque buildup or any other reason. This blocks blood flow that can also cause a stroke.

The risk of carotid artery disease increases with age and with other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. So, even if you don’t have it and you’re over 50, get checked for it regularly and focus on prevention that includes most of the things you would do for preventing stroke.

If you have carotid artery disease, discuss with your healthcare provider management and treatment. You can use medication or consider a procedure, such as:

• Carotid endarterectomy: The artery is safely cut, the blood flow is stopped, plaque is removed, and then the artery is patched.
• Carotid stenting: It has two common types – transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) and transfemoral carotid stenting. TCAR is a modern approach and minimally invasive because a small incision is made near the collarbone for the entire plaque removal process, while for transfemoral carotid stenting, the catheter is inserted from the groin area and the risk of a stroke during the procedure is higher.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is bad for your health in many ways and this includes an increased stroke risk as well. For chain smokers, the risk can be 6 times higher than non-smokers. This may be frightening, but quitting smoking can reduce the risk over time.

In 2-5 years of quitting smoking, the risk of stroke could fall to the levels that are the same for lifelong non-smokers.

Be Physically Active

People lower their physical activity in older age, but you should stay moderately active to prevent and manage many kinds of health problems, such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, etc. You don’t need to perform intensive workouts, just focus on basic and effective ones, like walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, yoga, and others. If you can, try light strength training as well.

If all exercises and activities are too difficult, you can simply choose walking 30 minutes a day, five times a week.

Whichever new activity you choose, start slow. If you notice any health problems (dizziness, nausea, chest pain, breathing problems, balance problems, etc.), see your doctor.

Know The Signs

Immediate response to a stroke can save a life or prevent health complications. It includes rushing to the ER for treatment. To recognize stroke symptoms, follow the FAST acronym:

• Face drooping, commonly on one side.
• Arm weakness. At least one arm may feel numb or immovable.
• Speech difficulty or slurred speech.
• Time to call 911.

Conclusion

You can prevent or at least lower the risk of stroke in old age by managing chronic health conditions, checking for A-fib, staying active, quitting smoking, having a balanced diet, and seeing an internist Gaithersburg regularly for medical examinations.