| According to the Centers for Disease Control and | | | | hypertension (140/90 mm Hg or higher), his blood |
| Prevention, stroke is the number one cause of | | | | pressure should be treated. The doctor will |
| serious, long-term disability in the United States. | | | | prescribe the appropriate medications, but your |
| Over the course of a lifetime, stroke affects an | | | | parent's blood pressure needs regular monitoring. |
| estimated four out of five families. Although these | | | | Although it can be a bit tricky to use, an |
| statistics sound dire, take heart: With these | | | | inexpensive manual cuff (starting at about $12 at |
| strategies, you can help your parents reduce their | | | | your local drugstore) is a great way to monitor |
| risk -- and reduce your own at the same time. | | | | blood pressure at home. But if you can't get the |
| Control blood pressure. | | | | hang of using it, you may want to consider |
| High blood pressure means a high risk of stroke. | | | | investing in a blood pressure machine, which is a |
| If one of your parents has been diagnosed with | | | | bit more expensive (between $70 and $150); it's |
| prehypertension (120/80 to 139/89) or | | | | also available at your local drugstore. |