Sunday Times 2
Don’t be a victim of stroke
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Picture shows National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka president Tissa Bandaranayake (left) with the immediate Past President Dr. M.T.M. Riffsy
The following is a message issued by the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka to mark World Stroke Day which falls on October 29:
Stroke can happen to anyone, at anytime and anywhere. Stroke is a brain attack caused by either a blockage or a burst of a blood vessel supplying the brain.
Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide, including in Sri Lanka, and the second leading cause of death. Many stroke survivors face significant challenges that include physical disability, communication difficulties, changes on how they think and feel, loss of work, income and social networks.
One in four of us will have a stroke in our lifetime, but 90 percent of strokes can be prevented by addressing a small number of risk factors, including high blood pressure, diet, smoking, and exercise. If you want to avoid a stroke the first step is to understand your individual risk factors. Preventive action would contribute to a massive scale reduction in stroke. It will also reduce the risk of heart attacks, cancers, diabetes and other significant causes of death and suffering.
Don’t be a victim of a stroke. Paying attention to controlling risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, unhealthy diet and lack of exercise will help you and your loved ones avert a stroke, the deadly disease benefiting you, your family, your community and even in terms of economy of the whole country.