Stroke Risk Factors

Stroke and heart disease are the leading causes of death in Canada. The first step to reducing your risk of stroke involves knowing your risk factors. Risk factors fall into two groups: modifiable and non-modifiable.

NON MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS:

• Age:
  • over 55 yrs old, although 30% of strokes occur in younger people
• Gender:
  • male (although because women live longer, more will die from stroke each year)
• Ethnicity:
  • stroke rates are higher for certain ethnic groups (i.e.: people of aboriginal, black or Chinese descent)
• Family history:
  • immediate family history of stroke, especially before the age of 65 years

MODIFABLE RISK FACTORS:

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke
• Heart disease
• High blood cholesterol
• Inactivity
• Excessive alcohol

Identify Your Risk Factors with a Personalized Risk Assessment at the Heart and Stroke Foundation Website.

RESOURCES/TOOLS:

HYPERTENSION

• Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP)
  • Yearly updates regarding recommendations for the diagnosis, management and treatment of hypertension 
• Personalized Blood Pressure Action Plan
• Learn about salt at www.sodium101.ca and at HSF website 
• "DASH - Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension" eating plan: 
  • Features plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and lower in salt/sodium
  • DASH eating plan booklet 

DIABETES

• 2013 Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines
  • Yearly updates regarding recommendations for the diagnosis, management and treatment of Diabetes
•  Canadian Diabetes Association website

SMOKING CESSATION

• Smoking Cessation Resources in the Ottawa Area
• Smoking Cessation Program, University of Ottawa Heart Institute
• RNAO Best Practice Guidelines: Integrating Smoking Cessation into Daily Nursing Practice
• Health Canada Resources for Smoking Cessation
• The Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation

HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• 2012 Canadian Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dyslipidemia  
• Resources from the Heart and Stroke Foundation website

NUTRITION 

• Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating
• Dieticians of Canada
  • Find a dietician in your area
• Eat Right Ontario website
• Sodium101 website

PHYSICAL INACTIVITY 

• Physical activity guide to healthy active living: 
  • A Canadian guide to help you make wise choices about physical activity. Choices that will improve your health, help prevent disease, and allow you to get the most out of life
• Heartwise exercise programs
• My Healthy Waist website
• Heart and Stroke Online Healthy Weight Action Plan

EXCESS ALCOHOL

• Centre for Addictions and Mental Health
  • Canada's low risk alcohol drinking guidelines

MEDICATION ADHERENCE

• The Ontario Ministry of Health MedsCheck Program
  • Provides free visits with a pharmacist for patients taking three or more medications for a chronic condition.