If we can prevent just one ...

I know stroke survivors who didn't have preventable strokes but due to hidden causes.

But if you're a stroke survivor or care about someone who is a stroke survivor, then you might care about stroke risk factors and how much of a role they plan in nine out of 10 strokes.

A recent study indicated that stroke is largely preventable:

Hypertension (high blood pressure) remains the single most important modifiable risk factor for stroke, and the impact of hypertension and nine other risk factors together account for 90% of all strokes, according to an analysis of nearly 27000 people from every continent in the world (INTERSTROKE), published in The Lancet.

Although the same ten risk factors were important, and together accounted for 90% of stroke risk in all regions, the relative role of some individual risk factors varied by region, which the authors say should influence the development of strategies for reducing stroke risk.

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. 

So if nine out of 10 strokes are due to known risk factors, how many lives could be altered - in the positive sense - if those risks can be addressed before a stroke?

(Photo from www.medisave.co.uk via Flickr)