Can I reduce my risk of having a stroke?

A leading charity has warned that strokes in the UK could increase by almost 42% unless urgent action is taken to reduce people’s risk.

New projections from the Stroke Association estimate that by 2035 there could be more than 151,000 strokes each year – the equivalent of 414 people every day. This marks a sharp rise from current figures of around 280 strokes a day, or 106,565 annually.

In light of these worrying statistics, we spoke to Alexis Kolodziej, deputy CEO and executive director of influencing and research at Stroke Association, to explore what steps people can take to reduce their risk of stroke.

Are strokes preventable?

“Some members of the public think that strokes are an inevitable consequence of older age, but that’s absolutely not the case,” says Kolodziej.

Nine in 10 strokes are preventable, according to Stroke Association’s website.

“If you take action on blood pressure, follow healthy living advice and make sure that heart conditions are picked up and monitored, all these things can all have a significant positive impact on your stroke risk,” says Kolodziej.

What factors can’t we control?

“The main risk factor that we can’t control is age, as your risk does rise with age,” says Kolodziej. “Most strokes happen in people who are over the age of 70, but it’s important to be aware that anyone can have a stroke.

“What we’re seeing at the moment is that the rate of incidence is rising in younger people faster than it’s rising in older people. So, we’re seeing more strokes happen to people who are under the age of 55 and we think they are most likely to be due to factors around lifestyle.”

Why does high blood pressure increase your risk of a stroke?

High blood pressure is also a big risk factor for strokes, and plays a part in about half of all strokes, according to Stroke Association’s website.

“High blood pressure puts more pressure on the arteries all over your body, but specifically in your brain, that can cause a bleed,” explains Kolodziej.  “A blood vessel rupturing causes a hemorrhagic stroke.

“Also, when your arteries and blood flow breaks down, it’s more likely for clots to form. Then if they travel to the brain and block blood flow that causes an ischemic stroke that’s caused by a clot.”

So, here are some things that you can do to reduce your risk of stroke at any age…

Check your blood pressure

“It’s never too early to start checking your blood pressure,” says Kolodziej. “You can get your blood pressure checked at a GP, at most pharmacies and lots of supermarkets are now starting to have blood pressure checking machines too.

“You can also check your blood pressure at home, as these blood pressure checking machines are much cheaper and much more available than they used to be.”

On the NHS website, high blood pressure is generally defined as a consistent, long-term reading of 140/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional.

Book an NHS Health Check

“One of the most effective initiatives in the UK to help reduce the incidence of a stroke is the NHS Health Check,” says Kolodziej.

If you’re aged 40 to 74 and do not have a pre-existing health condition, you should be invited to an NHS Health Check by your GP or local council every five years, according to the NHS website.

“During the NHS Health Check they check lots of different things that can increase your risk of lots of different health conditions, but a really important part of that is a blood pressure check,” says Kolodziej. “If you get that invitation from a GP and you’re over 40, you should absolutely go.”

Stay active

“Exercise is important because it helps healthy blood flow, and if you have healthy blood flow, it keeps your arteries healthy and reduces the chance of clots and the risk of your arteries rupturing,” explains Kolodziej.

Even simple things, like a walk, can help.

“People often think, oh I must have to be super active to reduce my risk of stroke, but actually, that’s not true,” says Kolodziej. “Even just going out and having a walk around the block or doing some gardening is really helpful in reducing your stroke risk.”

Be mindful of your salt intake

“Salt is really bad for blood pressure, so it’s important to be mindful of your salt intake,” says Kolodziej. “Salt is often much more present in food that you don’t cook for yourself. So, check food packaging as there’s a red light system and if it’s red under the salt intake information, then try to stay away from those products.

“Processed foods often have high salt content, but salt can also be hidden in things like soup or cooked meats so just be mindful of that.”

Quit smoking

“Smoking is one of the worst things that you could do for your stroke risk, because the toxins that you’re putting in your body clog up your arteries,” explains Kolodziej. “As soon as you quit, your stroke risk starts to reduce, and within five years of quitting, you can reduce your stroke risk significantly. So even if you have been a smoker for years, it’s never too late to quit.”

Avoid binge drinking and recreational drugs

“Alcohol can also increase your risk of stroke, so make sure that you’re not drinking over the recommended limits,” advises Kolodziej. “Binge drinking is worse than having a glass of wine every so often, for example.

“In addition, pretty much all recreational drugs raise your risk of a stroke, so try to avoid them.”

Monitor heart conditions

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a type of heart rhythm problem where your heartbeat is not steady, according to the NHS website.

It can make you five times more likely to have a stroke, according to Stroke Association’s website, so it’s important to have it diagnosed and monitored.

“The problem with AF is that often it doesn’t have symptoms, but there are manual pulse checks you can do, and we’ve got a video on our website that shows people how to do it,” says Kolodziej. “If you’re invited for a health check, when the GP is doing your blood pressure you can also ask them to do a pulse check as well, and they can pick it up.”

Once AF is diagnosed, treatment can help lower your risk.

“If you are diagnosed with AF, you should be offered an oral anticoagulant which is a daily medication that stops blood clots and that significantly reduces the risk of stroke,” says  Kolodziej.