More than 600,000 people in the U.S. will have a stroke for the first time this year in a new statistic, according to the CDC.
There are now new guidelines from the American Stroke Association (ASA) to help lower a person's risk of becoming a statistic. This marks the first time in 10 years that the ASA has updated its guidelines for stroke prevention. They include regular exercise and following a healthy diet, specifically a Mediterranean diet.
However, for the first time, the guidelines state that popular drugs, intended for weight loss and diabetes, can decrease the risk of stroke in people with diabetes and a high risk of heart disease. Women are also encouraged to monitor their blood pressure if they are pregnant or taking birth control.
The guidelines also note that those who are using hormones for gender-affirming care may be at a higher risk of stroke, and should be monitored.
The updated recommendations were published recently in the journal "stroke."
Contact NewsLink staff with comments at newslink@bsu.edu.
