Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 137,000 Americans died in 2006 from the condition.
An even larger number of people suffer from a stroke. The CDC says 795,000 Americans have a stroke each year. Not only can a stroke leave someone with long-term disabilities, but can lead to higher life insurance premiums as well.
Not everyone is at the same risk level for having a stroke. A study published in the American Heart Associations journal Stroke, says Mexican-American stroke survivors with a heart disorder are at more than double the risk for having another stroke in comparison to their non-Hispanic counterparts.
Study co-author and University of Michigan assistant neurology professor Dr. Darin Zahuranec says the study findings are not completely surprising.
"Based on some of our prior research, we were not necessarily surprised by the higher recurrence risk in Mexican-Americans with atrial fibrillation, but the greater severity of recurrent strokes in Mexican-Americans was surprising," says Zahuranec.
There are ways for people to reduce their risks of a stroke. The CDC says consuming foods which are low in saturated fat and cholesterol is a good start.