7 WAYS TO CUT THE RISK OF STROKE

FROM MONITORING BLOOD PRESSURE TO LIFESTYLE CHANGES, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF.

- BY CAMILLA FOSTER

WA leading charity has warned that strokes in the UK could increase by almost 42% unless urgent action is taken to reduce people's risk.

New projections from the Stroke Association estimate that by 2035 there could be more than 151,000 strokes each year - the equivalent of 414 people every day. This marks a sharp rise from current figures of around 280 strokes a day, or 106,565 annually.

In light of these worrying statistics, we spoke to Alexis Kolodziej, deputy CEO and executive director of influencing and research at Stroke Association, to explore what steps people can take to reduce their risk of stroke.

Are strokes preventable?

"Some members of the public think strokes are an inevitable consequence of older age, but that's absolutely not the case," says Alexis.

Nine in 10 strokes are preventable, according to Stroke Association's website.

"If you take action on blood pressure, follow healthy living advice and make sure that heart conditions are picked up and monitored, all these things can all have a significant positive impact on your stroke risk," says Alexis.

What factors can't we control?

"The main risk factor that we can't control is age, as your risk does rise with age," says Alexis. "Most strokes happen in people who are over the age of 70, but it's important to be aware that anyone can have a stroke.

"What we're seeing at the moment is that the rate of incidence is rising in younger people faster than it's rising in older people. So, we're seeing more strokes happen to people who are under the age of 55 and we think they are most likely to be due to factors around lifestyle."

Why does high blood pressure increase the risk of a stroke?

High blood pressure plays a part in about half of all strokes, according to the Stroke Association's website.