title: Primary stroke prevention.
abstract: The best way to prevent a first-time stroke is to identify at-risk patients and control as many risk factors as possible. Some risk factors, such as smoking, can be eliminated; others, such as hypertension and carotid artery stenosis, can be controlled or treated to reduce the risk of stroke. Nurses are encouraged to work with patients to identify all risk factors in order to reduce the prevalence of this medical condition that costs billions of dollars annually and results in significant disability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA. laura.sauerbeck@uc.edu
authors.forename: Laura R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Sauerbeck
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications; D002423:Cause of Death; D017281:Cost of Illness; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000150:complications; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications; D008019:Life Style; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology