Stroke risk can be controlled easier than one might think. With the help of a doctor, many diseases that increase risk can be treated, while lifestyle risk factors such an unhealthy eating and smoking can be changed.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke. Blood pressure by definition is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure causes the heart to pump harder to move blood through the body. This can weaken blood vessels and damage major organs such as the brain. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke.

Article posted on Daily Rx News on May 20, 2013

Gestational diabetes and obesity risks higher in women exposed to tobacco in utero

Smoking is a known health hazard for pregnancies. But being exposed to smoke in utero may follow a baby girl into her own pregnancy when she grows up.

A recent study looked at a group of pregnant women who had mothers who smoked while pregnant with them.

The results of this study showed these pregnant women who had mothers who smoked while pregnant had higher odds of developing gestational diabetes and obesity than women whose mother’s did not smoke while they were pregnant.

The decline of smoking in America has leveled out, according to CNN Health. From 24.1 percent in 1998 to 19.8 percent in 2007, the decline was well underway, but in 2008 and 2009, the numbers remained relatively unchanged. But the positive is that the percentage of American smokers in 1965 was more than 40 percent, much higher than in recent times. This successful decline was a result of endeavors like anti-smoking campaigns, tobacco product price increases and the simple fact that smoking became socially unacceptable.