Know Your Risk for a Stroke

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Posted: June 1, 2008

Some risk factors for stroke cannot be changed:

• Age – The chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade of life after age 55. While stroke is common among the elderly, a lot of people under 65 also have strokes.
• Family history and race – Your stroke risk is greater if a parent, grandparent, sister or brother has had a stroke. African Americans have a much higher risk of death from a stroke than Caucasians do.
• Gender – Stroke is more common in men than in women. However, at all ages, more women than men die of stroke. Use of birth control pills and pregnancy pose special stroke risks for women.
• Prior stroke, TIA or heart attack – Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are "warning strokes" that produce stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. TIAs are strong predictors of stroke. If you've had a heart attack, you're at higher risk of having a stroke, too.

• High blood pressure – High blood pressure is the most important controllable risk factor for stroke.
• Cigarette smoking – The nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke damage the cardiovascular system in many ways.
• Diabetes mellitus – Many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and are overweight. This increases their risk even more.
• Carotid or other artery disease – The carotid arteries in your neck supply blood to your brain. A carotid artery narrowed by fatty deposits from atherosclerosis (plaque buildups in artery walls) may become blocked by a blood clot.
• Atrial fibrillation – This heart rhythm disorder raises the risk for stroke. The heart's upper chambers quiver instead of beating effectively, which can let the blood pool and clot. If a clot breaks off, enters the bloodstream and lodges in an artery leading to the brain, a stroke results.
• Other heart disease – People with coronary heart disease or heart failure have a higher risk of stroke than those with hearts that work normally. Dilated cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart), heart valve disease and some types of congenital heart defects also raise the risk of stroke.
• Sickle cell disease (also called sickle cell anemia) – This is a genetic disorder that mainly affects African-American and Hispanic children.
• High blood cholesterol – People with high blood cholesterol have an increased risk for stroke.
• Poor diet – Diets high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol levels. Diets high in salt can contribute to increased blood pressure. Diets with excess calories can contribute to obesity.
• Physical inactivity and obesity – Being inactive, obese or both can increase your risk of high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

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