Hemorrhagic stroke is more deadly than its better-known counterpart, ischemic stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke is also called a cerebral hemorrhage or bleeding in the brain.

Like ischemic stroke, risk factors for hemorrhagic stroke include inflammation in the arteries and heart, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries caused by plaque. But much of the advice given on strokes is primarily for prevention of ischemic strokes.

New studies now suggest a prevention strategy targeted for hemorrhagic strokes exclusively. They show that folate, a B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables, dried beans and some other vegetables and fruits, helps to protect against hemorrhagic stroke AND Alzheimer's disease.

The Swedish study reported in the American Heart Association journal Stroke shows that subjects with the highest levels of folate had only one-fifth the risk of hemorrhagic stroke than those with the lowest levels.

There was no such correlation for ischemic stroke risk.