Living Better…For Life

Preventing Stroke
On Sunday March 5, 2006, Kirby Puckett, a Hall of Fame outfielder, died of a massive stroke at the age of 45. While each death is saddening, Mr. Puckett’s homecoming at any early age should serve as a reminder of the high rates of hypertension and stroke in the African American community. Mr. Puckett, who was extremely overweight at the time of his death, was part of the high risk group of African American men who have twice the risk of stroke as same-age white men and a fourfold higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and high cholesterol are all risk factors for stroke—and each of these conditions exist at high rates in the African American community.

As the baseball world reflects on the life of Kirby Puckett, let’s take time to conduct a “health inventory” of our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Do you know your numbers (are you overweight, what is your blood pressure, what is your cholesterol level, are you smoking, and if you have diabetes, how is your control?)

Share with us your experiences with stroke and/or what you are doing to prevent stroke in your family.