According to the National Stroke Association, four out of five stroke victims did not see any warning signs. This means that 80 percent of stroke victims were unaware they could have managed their risk factors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stroke is the fourth most common cause of death in America. Stroke prevention should be taken seriously by adults who can’t rely upon warning signs to identify stroke symptoms. Most of the most serious risk factors can be controlled.

“Preventive health screening aims to identify those with subclinical disease at a time when lifestyle changes and medical management can make a difference,”Dr. Andrew Manganaro, Chief Medical Officer at Life Line Screening – a provider of community-based vascular screenings, explained.

“The risk factors for cardiovascular disease are incredibly prevalent. The latest statistical research reveals 94 percent of the U.S. population has at least one serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The facts are clear. We are a nation at risk.”

Three simple steps are necessary to reduce your stroke risk.

1. Do a preventative screening. This is the most important preventative action you can take. Lifestyle and diet changes won’t reduce your risk if you have a family history of stroke, Type II diabetes, or carotid arteritis.

2. You should be active at least 3.5 hours per week. Exercise helps to reduce risk factors such as high blood pressure or cholesterol. It also keeps your arteries flexible. You can walk three times more each week, purchase a DVD such as Zumba, or add push-ups and sit-ups into your exercise routine.

The Journal of the American Medical Association states that increasing your physical activity by 3.5 hours per semaine can decrease your risk of stroke by nearly 40 percent. This applies regardless of age.

3. Step-by-step instructions for quitting smoking. Smoking a pack of cigarettes a day increases the risk of hypertension in women. Also, nicotine and carbon monoxide damage the cardiovascular system.

It is important to create a plan for quitting. But it is even more difficult to stick with your plan. It is important to write down the times you smoke, what you do when you smoke, and why. This will help you identify what causes you to smoke and how to stop it from becoming a problem.

Visit LifeLineScreening.com to learn more about stroke prevention, stroke risk factors or to find stroke screening near you.