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News Brief

May 8, 2019 |  By: Iowa News Service

You are never too young to have a stroke

An Iowa nurse says the recent deaths of two Hollywood celebrities in their 50s from stroke should be a wake up call for those who think
they're too young to worry. Victoria Borges with Methodist Medical Center says she became a champion for stroke prevention after her mother died of heart disease when she was 17 years old. In her practice, Borges says she's seen people as young as 18 and as old as 98 treated for stroke.

"It can happen to anybody who is not an ideal weight and who smokes and has risk factors: a sedentary lifestyle, high cholestoral, diabetes, high blood pressure.  Any of those things makes people a risk.  It doesn't matter what age you are."

Fifty-one-year-old movie director John Singleton and actor Luke Perry, age 52, both died from strokes in the past two months. May is Stroke Awareness Month and the American Heart Asociation of Iowa reminds residents that 80 percent of strokes are preventable.
Borges says the acronym FAST is an easy way to remember and identify the most common symptons of stroke, which includes face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty. She adds the "T" in Fast, which stands for "time," is critical for a positive outcome.

"If any of your loved ones or anyone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, get to the hospital immediately so we can treat the stroke as fast as possible."

In May, some 65 thousand Americans will experience a stroke, with many unaware they were even at the risk.  High blood pressure is the biggest factor for stroke, but of the 116 million people in the U.S. who have high blood pressure, fewer than 50 percent have it under control. Lowering blood pressure by 20 points can cut your risk for stroke by half. To learn what your numbers should be, go to heart.org/blood pressure.