The risks of cerebrovascular disease and how to prevent them

Certain things increase your risk ofcerebrovascular disease.

They are:

  • high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • atrial fibrillation (a form of irregular heartbeat)
  • smoking
  • poor diet
  • high blood cholesterol
  • lack of exercise
  • being overweight or obese
  • diabetes
  • excessive alcohol consumption
  • stress

Many of the risk factors forcerebrovascular disease are linked, which means if you have one, it's likely you'll also have others.

For example, someone who'soverweight or obese is more likely to have high blood pressure,high cholesteroland diabetes.

To significantly reduce the risk of cerebrovascular disease,you need to look at your lifestyle as a whole. In particular, you need to consider:

  • your weight
  • your diet
  • how active you areand the amount of regular exercise you do
  • whether you need to stop smoking
  • how muchalcohol you drink
  • your stress levels

As well as reducing your risk of developing cerebrovascular disease, making changes to your lifestyle will also lower your risk of getting other serious health conditions, such as coronary heart disease , heart attack and cancer .

High blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a significant risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.

The increase in blood pressure damages the walls of the brain's blood vessels, increasing the riskof a blood clot forming or an artery rupturing (splitting). Both of these can trigger a stroke .

If you have high blood pressure, you'refour times more likely to have a stroke than someone with healthy blood pressure.

You can prevent high blood pressure by excercising regularly, eating healthily, not smoking anddrinking alcohol in moderation.

However, hypertension is still common, even in people who have a healthy lifestyle, and treatment with medication is usually required. It's therefore important to have your blood pressure checked from time to time.

It can occur without any symptoms, but clots can form in the heart, which canbreak off and travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

Atrialfibrillation can be treated to prevent stroke, so if you have apulse that beats irregularly or you haveundiagnosed palpitations , you should visit your GP to test for the condition.

High blood cholesterol

High blood cholesterol can cause your arteries to narrow, increasing your risk of developing a blood clot.

Smoking

The toxins in tobacco can damage and narrow the blood vessels that supply the brain. Smoking also causes high blood pressure.

It'sestimated that a person who smokes 20 cigarettes a day is six times more likely to have a stroke than someone who doesn't smoke.

If you smoke,it'sstrongly recommended that you give up as soon as possible. Your GP will be able to provide you with further information and advice, and they can prescribe medication to help you stop smoking .

The NHS Smokefree service also provides useful information, advice and support. You can speak to an adviser by callingtheir free helpline on 0300123 1044. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm (England only).

Diet

A diet that contains a high amount of saturated fat and salt canlead tohigh blood pressure, high cholesterol and narrowing of the arteries, which all increase yourriskof cerebrovascular disease.

A low-fat, high-fibre diet that includes wholegrains and at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day is recommended for a healthy heart and brain.

Limit the amount ofsalt in your diet to no more than 6g (0.2oz or 1 teaspoon) a day. Too much salt will increase your blood pressure. Check the salt content of processed foods and try not to add salt to your food.

Also, avoid eating foods high in saturated fat because they'll increase your cholesterol level. Foods that contain high levels of saturated fat include:

  • meat pies
  • sausages and fatty cuts of meat
  • butter
  • ghee a type of butter often used in Indian cooking
  • hard cheese
  • cakes and biscuits

Foods high in unsaturated fat can help decrease your cholesterol level. These foods include:

  • oily fish
  • avocados
  • nuts and seeds
  • olive oil

Being physically inactive also increases your chances of becoming overweight.

To maintain a good level of health, the Department of Health recommends you do at least:

  • 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as cycling or fast walking , every week, and
  • muscle-strengthening activities ontwo or more days aweek that work all major muscle groups (the legs,hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)

After you've reached your ideal weight, you should aim to maintain it by eatinghealthily and exercising regularly.

You can use the healthy weight calculator to calculate your body mass index (BMI) andget tips about how to lose weight.You can also read more about losing weight .

Diabetes

The high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damagethe body's organs and arteries.

If you have type 1 diabetes , regular insulin treatmentshould keepyour blood sugar levels normal.

If you have type 2 diabetes , it may be possible to control your symptoms by making simple lifestylechanges, such as exercising regularly and eating healthily. However, you may need medication (tablets or injections)to keep your blood glucose normal.

Theseare:

  • 3-4 units a day for men
  • 2-3 units a day for women

One pint of ordinary strength beer, lager or cider contains two units of alcohol, and a single pub measure (25ml) of spirits contains one unit. Asmall glass of wine (125ml) contains 1.5 units of alcohol.

Visit your GP if you're finding it difficult to moderate your drinking. Treatments such as counselling and medication are available to help you reduce your alcohol intake.

Read moreabout alcohol units and drinking excessively .

Stress

Reducing the amount of stress in your life may help you control your blood pressure, as well askeeping your blood sugarlevels under control. Both of these will help reduce your risk of getting cerebrovascular disease.

Regular exercise has been shownto reduce stress levels, as have relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and yoga .

Read moreabout managing stress .

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 28 Nov 2016