Neurology

Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center

What's Your Risk?

How Do I Prevent a Stroke? Discuss your risk factors with your physician and develop a personalized plan to reduce risk. If you smoke, quit Eat a diet low in fat to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis If you have high blood pressure, it is essential that you control with medications Daily exercise according to your physician

Factors That May Increase Your Risk of Stroke

• High blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors for stroke. Controlling your blood pressure directly reduces your chance of a stroke.

• Diabetes often occurs in conjunction with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and weight gain. This also increases your risk of stroke.

• High cholesterol level may cause fatty build up of plaque along the artery wall. The plaque buildup is also called atherosclerosis. If the carotid arteries (located in the neck) are damaged by atherosclerosis a blood clot may obstruct the flow of blood to the brain resulting in a stroke.

• Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor contributing to stroke. Nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke damages the cardiovascular system.

• Heart disease doubles your risk of stroke. Specifically, atrial fibrillation (irregular beating of the heart's atrium or upper chambers) greatly increases the risk of stroke. Listen to an irregular heartbeat

• Heredity, race, and family history of stroke increasess your risk. For example, since African Americans have a higher incidence of high blood pressure, they also have an increased risk of stroke.

• Increasing age increases your risk of stroke. The risk doubles for each decade after age 55.

Good News

Gender does not seem to increase the incidence of stroke in either men or women. However, the incidence of stroke at younger ages is higher for men than for women.

The good news is that certain risk factors for stroke can be controlled and reduced. What is your stroke risk?

Take a free stroke risk assessment