New Stroke Guidelines

According to the the Centers for Disease Control, more than 600-thousand people in the U.S. will have a stroke for the first time this year. But there are now new guidelines to help lower a person's risk of becoming a statistic. This marks the first time in 10 years that the American Stroke Association has updated its guidelines for stroke prevention. They include regular exercise and following a healthy diet -- specifically a mediterranean diet. But for the first time -- the guidelines state that popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs can decrease the risk of stroke in people with diabetes and a high risk of heart disease. Women are also being urged to monitor their blood pressure if they are pregnant or taking birth control. The guidelines also note those using hormones for gender-affirming care may be at a higher risk of stroke -- and should be monitored.