High blood pressure is the most important controllable risk factor
The researchers looked at the proportion of strokes caused by specific risk factors to determine the extent to which eliminating each risk would reduce the impact of stroke. Eliminating high blood pressure was estimated to reduce risk by nearly 48 percent, the findings showed.
The investigators also calculated potential reductions for eliminating other risk factors:
- Physical inactivity: 36 percent,
- Poor diet: 23 percent,
- Obesity: 19 percent,
- Smoking: 12 percent,
- Heart causes: 9 percent,
- Diabetes: 4 percent,
- Alcohol use: 6 percent,
- Stress: 6 percent,
- Lipids (blood fats): 27 percent.
The combined reduction for all 10 risk factors was 90.7 percent across all regions, age groups and among both men and women. The study authors noted, however, that the importance of various risk factors vary in different regions. For example, high blood pressure causes about 39 percent of strokes in North America, Australia and western Europe, but nearly 60 percent in Southeast Asia.
Source: 9 Out of 10 Strokes Could Be Prevented, Study Finds | Health Care | US News