With Stroke Awareness Day held this year on May 8th, here's how pharmacies up and down the country are informing people about reducing their risk of an attack.
Each year an estimated 150,000 people have a stroke in this country – that's one person every five minutes. Stroke mostly affects people over the age of 65, but anyone can suffer one, even children and babies. And with 53,000 deaths
caused by stroke every year, it's the third most common cause of death in England and Wales after heart disease and cancer.
Yet you could argue that, while most people could tell you something about heart disease and cancer, few are as knowledgeable about stroke. Only recently, for instance, a Stroke Association survey suggested that two thirds of people aged 65 or over are unable to recognise atrial fibrillation – a type of irregular heartbeat – as a warning sign of stroke.
With an estimated 40 percent of the 150,000 annual strokes believed to be preventable, it's essential to arm yourself with the facts about how your lifestyle could put you at a greater risk of having a stroke. And that's where your pharmacy can help.
Many pharmacies, for instance, are involved in stroke awareness, and in particular in raising awareness of the Act FAST campaign.
A stroke is a brain attack that happens when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off. The Act FAST campaign aims to make more people aware of the three specific symptoms of stroke and what to do in the event that someone may be suffering from one:
F is for facial weakness (can they smile, has their mouth or eye drooped?)
A is for arm weakness (can they raise both arms?)
S is for speech problems (can they speak clearly and understand what you say?)
T is for time to call 999 (if you see any of these signs, call for an ambulance immediately, as the sooner someone having a stroke gets urgent medical attention, the better their chances of having a good recovery).
Risk factors
Some people are more at risk of having a stroke than others, including those who suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation and diabetes. But your lifestyle could also be putting you at risk – here's what to avoid to reduce your chances of having a stroke:
Sound advice
If you visit your pharmacy on or around Stroke Awareness Day this year, you may be offered a range of advice on preventing stroke, including the following:
Have a check-up Since high blood pressure and cholesterol are both major risk factors for stroke, it makes sense to keep an eye on yours – ask at your pharmacy if it offers blood pressure and cholesterol testing, and get yours checked as soon as possible. If one or both is high, your pharmacist will refer you to your GP for further tests.
Get into fish According to the British Heart Foundation eating oily fish can help lower your cholesterol level, as can eating more fibre, cutting down on saturated fats (ie animal fats) and getting more exercise.
Eat more fruit and veg Make sure you get your five portions of fruit and veg every day – according to experts, this could reduce your stroke risk by up to 30 percent (and for each extra portion you eat, your risk could be reduced by a further five percent). And if you're eating lots of fruit and veg, you could end up losing weight too, which will also help.
Yet you could argue that, while most people could tell you something about heart disease and cancer, few are as knowledgeable about stroke. Only recently, for instance, a Stroke Association survey suggested that two thirds of people aged 65 or over are unable to recognise atrial fibrillation – a type of irregular heartbeat – as a warning sign of stroke.
With an estimated 40 percent of the 150,000 annual strokes believed to be preventable, it's essential to arm yourself with the facts about how your lifestyle could put you at a greater risk of having a stroke. And that's where your pharmacy can help.
Many pharmacies, for instance, are involved in stroke awareness, and in particular in raising awareness of the Act FAST campaign.
A stroke is a brain attack that happens when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off. The Act FAST campaign aims to make more people aware of the three specific symptoms of stroke and what to do in the event that someone may be suffering from one:
F is for facial weakness (can they smile, has their mouth or eye drooped?)
A is for arm weakness (can they raise both arms?)
S is for speech problems (can they speak clearly and understand what you say?)
T is for time to call 999 (if you see any of these signs, call for an ambulance immediately, as the sooner someone having a stroke gets urgent medical attention, the better their chances of having a good recovery).
Risk factors
Some people are more at risk of having a stroke than others, including those who suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation and diabetes. But your lifestyle could also be putting you at risk – here's what to avoid to reduce your chances of having a stroke:
- Smoking
- Being overweight
- Not doing enough exercise
- Having an unhealthy diet
Sound advice
If you visit your pharmacy on or around Stroke Awareness Day this year, you may be offered a range of advice on preventing stroke, including the following:
Have a check-up Since high blood pressure and cholesterol are both major risk factors for stroke, it makes sense to keep an eye on yours – ask at your pharmacy if it offers blood pressure and cholesterol testing, and get yours checked as soon as possible. If one or both is high, your pharmacist will refer you to your GP for further tests.
Get into fish According to the British Heart Foundation eating oily fish can help lower your cholesterol level, as can eating more fibre, cutting down on saturated fats (ie animal fats) and getting more exercise.
Eat more fruit and veg Make sure you get your five portions of fruit and veg every day – according to experts, this could reduce your stroke risk by up to 30 percent (and for each extra portion you eat, your risk could be reduced by a further five percent). And if you're eating lots of fruit and veg, you could end up losing weight too, which will also help.
