People can reduce their risk of suffering a stroke for the first time if they consume a Mediterranean-style diet, exercise regularly and keep their blood pressure under control, US doctors have said.

They have just published new guidelines in the journal of the American Heart Association, Stroke, which emphasise the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

"We have a huge opportunity to improve how we prevent new strokes, because risk factors that can be changed or controlled - especially high blood pressure - account for 90% of strokes," commented Dr James Meschia of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Mediterranean-style diets include high amounts of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fish and poultry. The consumption of red meat, saturated fats and dairy products is limited.

These latest guidelines urge people to consume this type of diet. They also encourage people to have their blood pressure checked regularly. If there are signs of high blood pressure, lifestyle changes, such as more exercise, should be made. If a person already has high blood pressure, they should monitor this at home with a cuff device.

The guidelines also recommend:
-Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet - this is found mostly in salt
-Consulting with your doctor if your blood pressure medication does not appear to be working or has bad side-effects
-Do not smoke, especially if you are taking the oral contraceptive pill, as this can significantly increase the risk of a stroke in women. Furthermore, if you are a woman who suffers migraine with aura, smoking increases the risk of a stroke more than the general population.

People are also recommended to avoid secondhand (passive) smoke, as this will lower their risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack.

The new guidelines were based on a review of all current guidelines, randomised clinical trials and some observational studies.

Every year, some 10,000 people in Ireland suffer a stroke and 2,000 people die as a result. Thousands more are left with stroke-related disabilities.

"Talking about stroke prevention is worthwhile. In many instances, stroke isn't fatal, but it leads to years of physical, emotional and mental impairment that could be avoided," Dr Meschia added.