Strokes are a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., affecting nearly 800,000 people each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Experts say prevention is the first line of defense. Avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can reduce or eliminate many of the risk factors for stroke.
“There’s a huge preventive component to it if can modify the risk factors,” says Tobias Kulik, MD, an assistant professor in The University of New Mexico Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and section chief of Stroke, Inpatient Neurology and Neurocritical Care at UNM Hospital.