The Heart-brain Connection
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S.
Coronary heart disease and stroke share many of the same risk factors, including:
- High LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
- Low HDL (good) cholesterol levels
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Physical inactivity
- Being overweight or obese
Think about and embrace healthy habits as early as possible and maintain them through adulthood and middle age. Unhealthy habits can be difficult to break, but by addressing and changing one risk factor at a time, it becomes easier to accomplish and less overwhelming. Reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke by doing these critical activities:
- Get plenty of physical activity
- Eat a healthy diet
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Stop smoking
- Manage your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
Meet Our Ambassador
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Kathy embraced a healthier lifestyle after her stroke to prevent subsequent strokes and heart disease. |
| Kathy |
Resources
Watch Kathy’s video and learn how she embraced a healthier lifestyle.
» Learn more about controllable risk factors for stroke.
» Check your risk with the Stroke Risk Scorecard.
Faces of Stroke campaign is supported by funding provided by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Allergan, Inc., Medtronic, Inc., Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Acorda Therapeutics, Inc., and Genentech Inc.
