stroke

AHA/ASA Release New Stroke Prevention Guidelines

Staying physically active, maintaining healthy blood pressure, and eating a Mediterranean or DASH diet all decrease risk of first-time stroke, according to recently updated AHA/ASA guidelines.

“We have a huge opportunity to improve how we prevent new strokes, because risk factors that can be changed or controlled—especially high blood pressure—account for 90% of strokes,” said James Meschia, MD, lead author of the study and professor and chairman of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RELATED CONTENT
Can Olive Oil and Nuts Reverse Metabolic Syndrome
Diet Cuts Diabetes Risk Without Calorie Restrictions
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Researchers recommended the following practices for lowering stroke risk:

  • Reducing sodium intake in diet
  • Monitoring high-blood pressure with a home cuff device and annual health care provider visits
  • Ceasing smoking and avoid second-hand smoke
  • Making lifestyle changes to prevent pre-hypertension from turning into high-blood pressure
  • Eating a Mediterranean or DASH-style diet and supplementing it with nuts

Investigators noted that Mediterranean and DASH diets both emphasize fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, poultry, and fish, and limit red meat and saturated fat.

The complete study is published in the October issue of Stroke.

-Michelle Canales

References:

Meschia JF, Bushnell C, Boden-Albala B, et al. Guidelines for the Primary Prevention of Stroke. Stroke. 2014 October [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000046.

American Heart Association. Diets high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts among factors to lower first-time stroke risk. October 15, 2014.  http://newsroom.heart.org/news/diets-high-in-fruit-vegetables-whole-grains-and-nuts-among-factors-to-lower-first-time-stroke-risk.  Accessed October 29, 2014.