title: Stroke prevention in diabetic and other high cardiovascular risk patients.
abstract: Diabetes is a major risk factor for stroke that is usually associated with risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, albuminuria, and dyslipidemia. Furthermore, atrial fibrillation and heart failure, two of the most important risk factors of stroke, are common in the diabetic population. With the rising epidemic of diabetes, the incidence of stroke is also on the rise. Implementations of effective stroke prevention strategies appear to be the most rational option to curb this growing epidemic. In this review, we examine the epidemiologic and the pathophysiologic association between stroke and diabetes, highlighting the population-based stroke preventive measures. These include hygienic and lifestyle changes, that if applied effectively could offer a great potential for stroke prevention and reduction of the cardiovascular burden in the diabetic populations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Stroke and Critical Care, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 West 168th Street, Room 552, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: El-Atat
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rundek
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sowers
authors.forename: Samy I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: McFarlane
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy