Preventing a stroke
The good news is most strokes are potentially preventable, however they do not occur just in older people
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THE old adage "prevention is better than cure" is especially true for stroke. The good news is that most strokes are potentially preventable. Preventing stroke in those who have never had stroke previously is called "primary prevention" whereas stroke prevention in prior stroke patients is called "secondary prevention". While most people will associate strokes with older people, strokes can also occur in younger individuals.
Heart to brain
If you feel your heart "fluttering" away or have bouts of breathlessness, do not pass it off as anxiety. It may be a harbinger of a potentially life threatening condition. Atrial fibrillation (AF), an abnormal heart rhythm which increases the risk of blood clot formation in the heart, is a major cause of stroke. In those over the age of 60, about one in 10 will develop AF. However, AF can also occur in younger people, especially those with excessively high thyroid hormones.
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