What are some controllable risk factors for a stroke?
Patients and physicians should watch for the following conditions: high blood pressure (140/90), tobacco use (smoking doubles the risk for stroke), diabetes, carotid or other artery disease, atrial fibrillation or other heart disease (causes blood to pool in the heart leading to increased risk of clots), certain blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia, high cholesterol (increased risk of blockage), physical inactivity/obesity, excessive alcohol intake/illegal drug use. What are some common stroke symptoms? • Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body • Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking, or understanding • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination • Sudden severe headache with no known cause • Other less common symptoms include sudden nausea and vomiting different from a viral illness because of how fast it begins (minutes or hours vs. several days), brief loss of consc
