There are some risk factors for stroke that you cannot control, such as race, gender, heredity, and age.
However, there are other risk factors that you can control, such as
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- Obesity
- Inactivity, lack of adequate exercise
- Recreational drug use, especially cocaine and amphetamines
- Overuse of alcohol.
Of the 700,000 strokes that occur in the U.S. each year, about 600,000 of these can be prevented.
Hypertension: The Most Important Factor You Can Control
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the number one risk factor for stroke in our area. When your heart beats, it is pumping blood through your arteries to the rest of your body. Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the walls of the blood vessels. If the pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder to pump, and can lead to several illnesses and risks, including stroke.
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