The risk factors for stroke are behaviors or medical conditions that cause fatty plaque to build up in blood vessels, increase the clotting tendency of the blood or cause clots to form in and break off from the heart. The leading treatable risk factors are high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, smoking, excessive alcohol use, physical inactivity, diabetes and the abnormal heart rhythm of atrial fibrillation. By treating these risk factors, the risk of stroke can be reduced by more than 75 percent.
Stroke Risk Factors
Your risk level for stroke can vary based on your genes and lifestyle; risk factors can also differ between men and women. While you can't control your age, family history, race and gender, it's important to know your stroke risk. Men are at a higher risk for stroke, but women account for more deaths from it. Common risk factors for men and women that can be controlled or treated include high blood pressure, diabetes, cigarette smoking, diet, physical activity and heart disease. Less common risk factors affecting women include migraines, taking the pill, pregnancy and childbirth complications and use of hormone replacement therapy. Learn more about stroke risk factors with expert advice from Sharecare.
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Southern Hills Hospital answeredSee All 2 AnswersWomen on hormonal treatments, specifically estrogen, have a higher risk of stroke.
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See All 3 AnswersHere are some risk factors for stroke that cannot be controlled or changed:
- Age: Stroke can occur at any age, but the older you are, the greater your risk.
- Family history and race: Your risk is greater if a parent, grandparent or sibling has had a stroke. African Americans and Hispanic Americans have a higher risk of stroke than whites. This is partly due to higher rates of high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Prior stroke: Someone who has had a stroke is at higher risk of having another one.
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HCA Virginia answeredFamily history is the main indicator of stroke risk, especially early in life. It’s not related to maternal or paternal genetics specifically, but if another first-degree relative (mother, father, brother or sister) has experienced a stroke, you are at increased risk. The reason this link is limited to first-degree relatives is because there is less common shared genetic information as one reaches back further into the family tree. A specific risk factor to note is the thrombogenic combination of smoking and contraceptive medication (birth control). Together, these things dramatically increase a woman’s risk of blood clotting, and thus, stroke.
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Centerpoint Medical Center answeredWomen are at a higher lifetime risk of stroke than men. About 53 percent of all strokes in the US affect women. Some of this reflects women’s longer life expectancy. They may also have higher rates of subarachnoid hemorrhage—a type of stroke often related to aneurysms and more prevalent in women.
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Centerpoint Medical Center answered
Use of oral contraceptives alone is associated with a small increased stroke risk, which becomes more significant when a woman already has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or smokes. Women also have higher rates of migraines, which can increase stroke risk.
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HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake answeredSee All 4 AnswersThere are studies that prove that if you have one stroke, your chances of having a second stroke are really high, particularly when you have uncontrolled risk factors like hypertension or high cholesterol. Studies prove that if you keep your cholesterol and blood pressure under control and eat healthy, you will lower your risk. -
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SecondsCount.org answeredStroke is the leading cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Even children have strokes. In fact, 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent of people between 40 and 60 years old have had strokes. But most people who have a stroke are over 65. Risk factors, such as high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes, place some people at much higher risk for stroke than others.
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SecondsCount.org answeredSee All 14 Answers
Your heart’s beating is governed by a series of natural electrical impulses that cause the chambers of the heart to contract in a carefully timed sequence.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition in which the electrical system in the heart does not function properly. The two small upper chambers of the heart (the atria) quiver instead of beating normally. In AF, this lack of normal atrial contractility can cause blood to pool in the heart, increasing the risk of a clot forming. Clots in the heart often break loose and can travel anywhere in the body. If the clot goes to the brain, it will cause a stroke.
This risk of a stroke can be significantly reduced by taking blood thinners, such as Coumadin or Pradaxa. Anyone with a history of atrial fibrillation should discuss taking blood thinners with their doctor. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a person with AF has a stroke risk that is 4 to 6 times greater than those without AF. Stroke risk in people with AF increases with age.
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HealthyWomen answeredWe all know or have heard of someone who has suffered from the devastating effects of a stroke, whether directly or through a loved one. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the primary cause of disability.
Each year, 780,000 new and recurrent strokes occur in the United States, affecting 55,000 more women than men. The increased rate of stroke among women is partly due to women's longer life expectancy. But researchers also suspect that women, particularly those under the age of 55, are more vulnerable because they are not familiar with the risk factors associated with stroke. Because of this, women need to familiarize themselves with both the risk factors and warning signs of stroke. A lack of awareness regarding stroke symptoms can literally mean the difference between life and death.