Black Americans have a risk of suffering a stroke that is as much as four times higher than white Americans.
The new study finds that the risk of stroke increases significantly for Black Americans once they reach the age of 40. The primary cause of this is an increase in blood pressure or hypertension levels, which spike once black Americans cross the age of 40. This increase in blood pressure puts them at a much higher risk of suffering a stroke.
According to the study, high blood pressure in Black Americans begins at a much earlier age, and lasts for a much longer duration. These hypertension levels also tend to be much more severe in Black Americans compared to white Americans.
To counteract the effects of genetic susceptibility to stroke, if you are a Black American, maintain steady weight levels, avoid smoking, and get your blood pressure checked regularly. Researchers also recommended that health authorities stage earlier interventions to identify hypertension in Black Americans.
A stroke is a medical condition that might make you eligible for Social Security disability benefits, but a diagnosis by itself is not enough to help you qualify. The stroke must have left you with consequences serious enough to prevent you from working at a full- time job. If, for instance, your stroke has left you with some degree of paralysis, speech and communication difficulties, cognitive difficulties and other challenges that make it difficult for you to go back to work and earn a living, you might have a stronger claim for disability benefits.