Heart disease is one of the highest causes of death in the state of Florida. One of the heart diseases I would like to focus on is stroke. A stroke is a medical emergency and individuals should understand what to do in order to prevent one from occurring. When there is a blockage of blood supply to any part of the brain, a stroke is eminent. One form of primary prevention is measuring blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Lowering blood pressure in individuals can prevent ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes from taking place. A primary public health intervention can include screening people in low-income communities for risk factors. This may provide an opportunity to detect the people who are at higher risk.
Surveys can be distributed to communities that ask questions regarding the patient’s diet, lifestyle, their physical activity, and information such as alcohol and smoking use. In the case that a stroke has occurred, a secondary intervention would involve treating the patient with medication such as antihypertensive and statins, which aid in lowering cholesterol and protecting against another stroke. Tertiary measures focus on preventing another stroke and in reducing disability by rehabilitation. This can be accomplished by creating a plan tailored to the patient with the goal of improving their quality of life and rebuilding their independence. Public health officials can come together to create support groups within the community for those patients who have experienced strokes and can educate the public on certain behavior changes to keep them on the right track.
