Diabetes Increases Your Risk
People with diabetes (type 1 or type 2) are two to three times more likely to
have a
stroke than the rest of the population.
People with diabetes also tend to have:
-
more severe disabilities after a stroke
-
a higher frequency of recurrent stroke
-
a higher risk of death after stroke
Risk Factors For People With Diabetes
Risk factors you can't change include:
Age. Almost 75% of
strokes occur after age 65.
Gender. Women with diabetes are at a higher risk than men with diabetes.
Risk factors of a stroke people with diabetes can change:
Hypertension. Also called
high blood pressure,
hypertension is a major risk factor for
stroke, but half the people who have it don't know they have it. People
with diabetes are 40% more likely to have hypertension.
Elevated Blood Fats. High blood fats (also called lipids) can lead to
arteriosclerosis, which can lead to stroke.
Cardiac Disease such as heart attack, congestive heart failure, and
rheumatic
heart disease can increase the risk of stroke.
Tobacco. If you smoke, you have a 40% greater chance of a
stroke if you're a man and a 60% greater chance of a stroke if you're a
woman. Women who smoke and use birth control pills are 22 times more likely to
have a stroke.
Alcohol. Heavy drinking is associated with stroke.
Drugs. Drugs such as LSD, cocaine and amphetamines can increase blood
pressure and cause stroke.
Causes Of A Stroke
Arteriosclerosis is caused by fat or lipid deposits called plaques on
the artery walls. It's the most common reason for an artery being blocked, and
it occurs more commonly, advances more quickly and is present at a younger age
in people with diabetes. Risk factors that can lead to
arteriosclerosis include
hypertension, elevated blood fats, and smoking.
Cardioembolism can be caused if a blood clot breaks loose from one of
the chambers of the heart and then lodges in an artery of the brain.
Hematological Abnormality is the same thing as having something wrong
with the blood, such as abnormal clumping, clotting, and stickiness.
Hematological abnormality occurs most commonly in people with diabetic kidney
disease (
nephropathy).
Treatment To Reduce Risk Of A Stroke
Three types of treatment are available to reduce the risk of
stroke.
Medications such as Aspirin prevent the blood platelets from sticking
together and forming clots. Aspirin reduces the risk of nonfatal stroke by
30%. Ask your physician for the dose that is appropriate for you.
Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, are usually used in patients who
have
strokes caused by cardioembolism or by patients who don't respond to
medications such as Aspirin.
Surgery. Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure that treats the
narrowing of the carotid arteries of the neck, caused by
arteriosclerosis. The carotid artery is opened and the buildup, called
plaque, in the artery is removed.
