THE term “stroke” conjures up a frightening bolt out of the blue. It certainly feels that way when it happens. But the sudden appearance
hides many strokes’ decades-long development, usually from slow but steady damage to blood vessels, meaning that it is often possible to take steps to prevent stroke.
In preventing stroke, it’s important to monitor such things as blood pressure, cholesterol and heart rhythm problem known as atrial fibrillation. From exercises and medications to food and drinks, all are important lifestyle changes to prevent stroke.
Knowing your blood pressure, Dr Femi Ajayi, a Consultant Cardiologist, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile Ife, Osun State, speaking at the 2103 World Stoke Day at the hospital in Ile-Ife, said was important because a persistently high blood pressure, what is medically termed hypertension, in a healthy individual was a predictor of diseases that affects the heart, the blood system and organs such as the kidney.
Although, hypertension is a trait, rather than a specific disease, Dr Ajayi stated that high blood pressure occurs in at least 25 per cent of the adult population, adding that there is higher incidence and prevalence of hypertension in blacks than in whites, irrespective of age.
However, he declared: “Blood pressure rises with age in most Nigerians. One in 10 Nigerian adults have high blood pressure; a third of them are aware; a third of those that are aware are on treatment and a third of those on treatment have their blood pressure properly controlled.”
Hypertension, the commonest non-communicable disease in Nigeria, accounts for six per cent of adult deaths worldwide. Unfortunately, he said that in majority of cases, sudden natural death arises from complications of hypertension in many autopsy reports issued by hospitals.
He declared: “Given that hypertension generally doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke, the lower one’s blood pressure measurement, the better, as long as one does not feel faint or light-headed.”
Why are people prone to heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases? People with hypertension, diabetes, protein in urine, obese, smokes, drinks alcohol, physically inactive and older people stand a higher risk of developing diseases like stroke. Also at risk are individuals with family history of these diseases.
He declared, “Individuals who have first degree relatives that are hypertensives are approximately 1.6 times more likely to develop high blood pressure. Approximately 30 to 50 per cent of the blood pressure variance within a population is inherited, which suggests that hypertension is, in part, a genetically determined disease.
“Excess alcohol intake has been associated with resistance to antihypertensive therapy and an intake of three or more drinks per day has been estimated to account for between five per cent and 30 per cent of hypertension.”
Why is high blood pressure bad? Dr Ajayi said that a control of blood pressure is important to prevent damage its complications can cause to the heart leading to heart failure; brain attack or stroke; kidney damage, as well as damage to the retina, so, subsequently causing blindness.
“The incidence of stroke increases in proportion to increases in blood pressure and treatment of hypertension can reduce the risk of a stroke by up to 40 per cent.”
Nevertheless, Dr Ajayi said engaging in physically active lifestyle has the potential to decrease, delay or prevent the development of hypertension or the need for antihypertensive medication.
Professor Matthew Olaogun, a Consultant Physiotherapist, OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Osun State, added that exercises to ensure an increased level of physical activity is one of the modifiable lifestyle options to prevent stroke.
Moreover, Professor Olaogun said an “inverse relationship exists between vigorous exercise and the risks of stroke. For instance, a study found that exercising vigorously enough to work up a sweat is associated with decreased stroke risks in male physicians.”
Given the substantial evidence from clinical trials that a first or recurrent stroke can often be prevented, Professor Olaogun stated that stroke prevention majorly centres around reducing blood pressure, lowering blood cholesterol levels, eating a diet low in salt and saturated fat; and rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and fish oils, avoiding smoking and taking regular exercise.
Exercise is any physical (or mental) activity or movements that are done to stay healthy, stronger, or acquire skill. It is also a set of activities done to achieve a particular result. The purpose of exercise in stroke prevention is to combat the effects of relative inactivity, which is one of the risk factors of stroke.
Nonetheless, exercise is different from physical activity. According to Professor Olaogun, “physical activity includes all forms of activity (occupational, recreational and sports-related) that are performed without the specific purpose of fitness or health. The intensity of some physical activities may however suffice the need for exercising, if carried out regularly.”
His word of caution, however on exercising was that “in exercising to prevent stroke, one should pay attention to other risk factors to make the exercise effective. Inappropriate eating/drinking after exercising is dangerous. Also, warning signs of transient ischaemic attack (TIA), make exercising very important and calls for pre-exercise (medical/physical) screening and exercise prescription.”
Warning signs of transient ischaemic attack include sudden numbness or weakness of the face or hand especially on one side of the body and sudden confusion, difficulty in speaking or understanding.
Also, there could be a sudden difficulty in seeing in one eye or both; sudden difficulty in walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination and sudden severe headache with no known cause. These signs usually last less than five minutes, must be taken seriously and need an emergency report to the hospital.
Professor Olaogun, however, stated that the benefits of exercising exceed that of protecting from stroke, but include lowering of blood pressure, increasing level of good cholesterol in the blood and improving blood sugar regulation.
He advised that people to take up various types of enjoyable activities, which use most muscles, elevate the heart rate, and that may be sustained for 20 minutes or longer. For example, a person may find stationary cycling boring but enjoy playing tennis or racquet-ball.
Professor Olaogun advocated increased involvement in recreational activities such as playing baseball, basketball and cricket, as well as domestic or occupational activities such as doing housework and mowing.
Compliance to exercising daily, he pointed out, would ensure the full benefits of exercising are enjoyed, adding “The long term effects of exercise or any physical activity programme is affected by compliance and discipline in taking care of other stroke modifiable factors through modification of lifestyle and the appropriate use of pharmacological therapy when indicated.”
THE term “stroke” conjures up a frightening bolt out of the blue. It certainly feels that way when it happens. But the sudden appearance hides many strokes’ decades-long development, usually from slow but steady damage to blood vessels, meaning that it is often possible to take steps to prevent stroke.
In preventing stroke, it’s important to monitor such things as blood pressure, cholesterol and heart rhythm problem known as atrial fibrillation. From exercises and medications to food and drinks, all are important lifestyle changes to prevent stroke.
Knowing your blood pressure, Dr Femi Ajayi, a Consultant Cardiologist, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile Ife, Osun State, speaking at the 2103 World Stoke Day at the hospital in Ile-Ife, said was important because a persistently high blood pressure, what is medically termed hypertension, in a healthy individual was a predictor of diseases that affects the heart, the blood system and organs such as the kidney.
Although, hypertension is a trait, rather than a specific disease, Dr Ajayi stated that high blood pressure occurs in at least 25 per cent of the adult population, adding that there is higher incidence and prevalence of hypertension in blacks than in whites, irrespective of age.
However, he declared: “Blood pressure rises with age in most Nigerians. One in 10 Nigerian adults have high blood pressure; a third of them are aware; a third of those that are aware are on treatment and a third of those on treatment have their blood pressure properly controlled.”
Hypertension, the commonest non-communicable disease in Nigeria, accounts for six per cent of adult deaths worldwide. Unfortunately, he said that in majority of cases, sudden natural death arises from complications of hypertension in many autopsy reports issued by hospitals.
He declared: “Given that hypertension generally doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke, the lower one’s blood pressure measurement, the better, as long as one does not feel faint or light-headed.”
Why are people prone to heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases? People with hypertension, diabetes, protein in urine, obese, smokes, drinks alcohol, physically inactive and older people stand a higher risk of developing diseases like stroke. Also at risk are individuals with family history of these diseases.
He declared, “Individuals who have first degree relatives that are hypertensives are approximately 1.6 times more likely to develop high blood pressure. Approximately 30 to 50 per cent of the blood pressure variance within a population is inherited, which suggests that hypertension is, in part, a genetically determined disease.
“Excess alcohol intake has been associated with resistance to antihypertensive therapy and an intake of three or more drinks per day has been estimated to account for between five per cent and 30 per cent of hypertension.”
Why is high blood pressure bad? Dr Ajayi said that a control of blood pressure is important to prevent damage its complications can cause to the heart leading to heart failure; brain attack or stroke; kidney damage, as well as damage to the retina, so, subsequently causing blindness.
“The incidence of stroke increases in proportion to increases in blood pressure and treatment of hypertension can reduce the risk of a stroke by up to 40 per cent.”
Nevertheless, Dr Ajayi said engaging in physically active lifestyle has the potential to decrease, delay or prevent the development of hypertension or the need for antihypertensive medication.
Professor Matthew Olaogun, a Consultant Physiotherapist, OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Osun State, added that exercises to ensure an increased level of physical activity is one of the modifiable lifestyle options to prevent stroke.
Moreover, Professor Olaogun said an “inverse relationship exists between vigorous exercise and the risks of stroke. For instance, a study found that exercising vigorously enough to work up a sweat is associated with decreased stroke risks in male physicians.”
Given the substantial evidence from clinical trials that a first or recurrent stroke can often be prevented, Professor Olaogun stated that stroke prevention majorly centres around reducing blood pressure, lowering blood cholesterol levels, eating a diet low in salt and saturated fat; and rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and fish oils, avoiding smoking and taking regular exercise.
Exercise is any physical (or mental) activity or movements that are done to stay healthy, stronger, or acquire skill. It is also a set of activities done to achieve a particular result. The purpose of exercise in stroke prevention is to combat the effects of relative inactivity, which is one of the risk factors of stroke.
Nonetheless, exercise is different from physical activity. According to Professor Olaogun, “physical activity includes all forms of activity (occupational, recreational and sports-related) that are performed without the specific purpose of fitness or health. The intensity of some physical activities may however suffice the need for exercising, if carried out regularly.”
His word of caution, however on exercising was that “in exercising to prevent stroke, one should pay attention to other risk factors to make the exercise effective. Inappropriate eating/drinking after exercising is dangerous. Also, warning signs of transient ischaemic attack (TIA), make exercising very important and calls for pre-exercise (medical/physical) screening and exercise prescription.”
Warning signs of transient ischaemic attack include sudden numbness or weakness of the face or hand especially on one side of the body and sudden confusion, difficulty in speaking or understanding.
Also, there could be a sudden difficulty in seeing in one eye or both; sudden difficulty in walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination and sudden severe headache with no known cause. These signs usually last less than five minutes, must be taken seriously and need an emergency report to the hospital.
Professor Olaogun, however, stated that the benefits of exercising exceed that of protecting from stroke, but include lowering of blood pressure, increasing level of good cholesterol in the blood and improving blood sugar regulation.
He advised that people to take up various types of enjoyable activities, which use most muscles, elevate the heart rate, and that may be sustained for 20 minutes or longer. For example, a person may find stationary cycling boring but enjoy playing tennis or racquet-ball.
Professor Olaogun advocated increased involvement in recreational activities such as playing baseball, basketball and cricket, as well as domestic or occupational activities such as doing housework and mowing.
Compliance to exercising daily, he pointed out, would ensure the full benefits of exercising are enjoyed, adding “The long term effects of exercise or any physical activity programme is affected by compliance and discipline in taking care of other stroke modifiable factors through modification of lifestyle and the appropriate use of pharmacological therapy when indicated.”
source: tribune.com.ng
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