2006年VOA标准英语-Stroke Prevention Tips

By Carol Pearson
Washington, DC
06 July 2006
 
watch Stroke Prevention report

People with diabetes¹, sickle² cell anemia³, or sleep apnea are at risk for having a stroke. The American Stroke Council has some guidelines that can help prevent stroke.

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Bill Witherspoon   
  
Bill Witherspoon is in better health at age 66 than he was in his 50s, when he suffered the first of his three strokes. "My strokes got my attention, telling me that I had to make a change in my life.  But I don't understand why I had to wait for a stroke to make that decision."

One decision he made was to exercise regularly. People cannot change certain risk factors -- age, race or family history, but they can change their lifestyles.

Exercise can help in preventing strokes   
  
The American Stroke Assocation recently updated its guidelines for preventing a first stroke.

The recommendations include using statins to treat diabetes patients.  Drugs such as Zocor, Lipitor and others can lower cholesterol⁴.

 
Dr. Larry Goldstein 
  
Dr. Larry Goldstein heads the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association says there is a correlation⁵ between blood pressure and diabetics. "We knew for some time that tight control of blood pressure in diabetics decreases their risk of stroke.  We now also know that treatment with a certain class of drugs, the lipid lowering drugs -- cholesterol drugs like statins -- can significantly decrease the risk of stroke in diabetics."

Doctors say blacks have a greater risk of stroke than other racial groups.

One of the new guidelines recommends ultrasound screening for children with sickle cell disease, which predominantly affects people of black African descent.

Again, Dr. Goldstein. "We can now identify children with a test called 'the transcranial Doppler', which is a sound picture of the blood vessels⁶ of the brain identifying children who may be at increased risk of stroke related to sickle cell.  And we now have ways of reducing that risk through transfusion⁷ therapy."

Dr. Goldstein says another recommendation concerns people who suffer from sleep apnea -- a common sleep disorder⁸ that puts them at increased risk for stroke. "Sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure and treatment of sleep apnea reduces blood pressure.  That alone is an important reason. "

An episode of sleep apnea can cause a person to stop breathing, decreasing the oxygen supply to the brain. Dr. Goldstein says this increases the risk of stroke.

The new guidelines include some well-known prevention measures -- control high blood pressure, do not smoke or allow yourself to be exposed to other people's smoke, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and if you are overweight, lose weight.

Bill Witherspoon lost 75 pounds after having his strokes. "I feel outstanding today, and, yes, I feel that I have done everything that I can do and what the doctors have told me to do to prevent another stroke."

The American Stroke Association also warns people to avoid saturated⁹ fats and trans fatty acids. Trans fat raises cholesterol levels. It is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil. It can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers¹⁰, cookies, snack foods. 

The group also recommends that people with an irregular heartbeat or other heart problems see their doctors for treatment.

1 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

2 sickle   

n.镰刀

参考例句：

• The gardener was swishing off the tops of weeds with a sickle.园丁正在用镰刀嗖嗖地割掉杂草的顶端。
• There is a picture of the sickle on the flag. 旗帜上有镰刀的图案。

3 anemia   

n.贫血，贫血症

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。
• I was put on iron tablets for my anemia.我曾因贫血吃补铁药片。

4 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

5 correlation   

n.相互关系，相关，关连

参考例句：

• The second group of measurements had a high correlation with the first.第二组测量数据与第一组高度相关。
• A high correlation exists in America between education and economic position.教育和经济地位在美国有极密切的关系。

6 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 transfusion   

n.输血，输液

参考例句：

• She soon came to her senses after a blood transfusion.输血后不久她就苏醒了。
• The doctor kept him alive by a blood transfusion.医生靠输血使他仍然活着。

8 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

9 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液

10 crackers   

adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘

参考例句：

• That noise is driving me crackers. 那噪声闹得我简直要疯了。
• We served some crackers and cheese as an appetiser. 我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。 来自《简明英汉词典》