Determine your risk of having a stroke

We always thought that strokes were an old man’s problem, until we heard that roughly 25,000 men in their 30s and 40s suffer them every year. Frankly, we don’t like the idea of spending the prime of our lives relearning how to walk, talk, and program the VCR. We assume you don’t either, so take our test to see if a stroke is in your future. (print this page for best results)

1.  Your gut is...

a) huge 4 points
b) modest 2 points
c) flat 0 points

Points____

a) consistently exceeds 140/90, but you ignore doctors’ advice about drugs or exercise 6 points
b) was high, but you’re making lifestyle changes or taking medication 4 points
c) checks in at 120/80 or lower 0 points
d) is, oh, who knows? 3 points

Points____

(count all that apply)

a) less than 30 percent of calories from fat and 10 percent from cholesterol -1 point
b) limited salt -1 point
c) at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily -1 point
d) 25 grams of fiber daily (two big bowls of high-fiber bran cereals) -1 point
e) 400 micrograms of folate daily (found in kidney beans and orange juice) -1 point

Points____

(count all that apply)

a) binge drinking (five or more at once) 6 points
b) having two or more drinks a day (or 15 a week) 4 points
c) having eight to 14 drinks a week 1 point
d) having no more that one drink a day -1 point
e) smoking more than one pack of cigarettes a day 4 points
f) smoking up to one pack a day 2 points

Points____

a) working out three times a week or more -1 point
b) off and on 0 points
c) does reading this count? 4 points

Points____

(count all that apply)

a) atrial fibrillation (a specific kind of irregular heartbeat) 6 points
b) any kind of coronary heart disease 6 points
c) blockages in your carotid arteries (they deliver blood to your brain) 3 points
d) diabetes 3 points
e) total cholesterol that’s 240 milligrams per deciliter or greater 1 point
f) depression (if you’re over 50 years old) 1 point
g) a family history of stoke 3 points

Points____

 

Grand Total_____

 

18 POINTS OR MORE

(high risk): See a doctor soon.

Exercise more, cut fat from your diet, and drink less. Quit smoking. You probably need to lower your blood pressure, too - if it’s higher than 140/90, you’re six times as likely to have a stroke as people with normal blood pressure. Check the National Stroke Association’s Web site at www.stroke.org for doctor referrals or for more information.

7 TO 17 POINTS

(medium risk): Make modifications.

Look at factors in which you scored 3 points or more in the quiz. Again, if you smoke, quit. Cut back your drinking to moderate levels. You’ll lower your risk of clogging the arteries that feed your brain.

6 POINTS OR FEWER

(low risk): Keep up the good work.

Regular exercise reduces risk factors like high blood pressure, and it also keeps the weight off. Once you pack on 20 percent more than your ideal weight, your stroke risk increases by as much as 10 percent.

 From Men’s Health Magazine, April 2000, page 54.

Back to National Men's Health Week Index