Stroke survivor resources

If you've already lived through a stroke, you don't want another. A good Web resource on a project called Steps Against Recurrent Stroke (S.T.A.R.).

Just a few facts that demand your attention:

• Three-quarters of a million Americans experience a stroke each year, and at least 1 in four (25%-35%) will have another stroke within their lifetime.
• Within 5 years of your first stroke, your risk for another stroke can increase more than 40%.
• Recurrent strokes often have a higher rate of death and disability because parts of the brain already injured by the original stroke may not be as resilient.
• Within five years of a stroke, 24 percent of women and 42 percent of men will experience a recurrent stroke.

And some recommendations that make a great deal of sense:

• Stop smoking
• Keep blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes under control
• If you have an irregular heartbeat work with your doctor to control it
• Eat a healthy diet
• Increase physical activity

This advice won't cover everyone in specific terms of stroke causes (see this link about cryptogenic strokes, which describes my own stroke history). Still, it's good general advice for one and all.