Causes
What can I do to reduce my risk?
- Cut down on alcohol. Regularly drinking too much alcohol raises your risk of a stroke. ...
- Stop smoking. Smoking doubles your risk of dying from a stroke. ...
- Stay a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can raise your risk of a stroke. ...
- Eat healthily. ...
- Be as active as you can. ...
Symptoms
Stroke kills about 140,000 Americans each year, but there are lifestyle changes you can make to your diet and exercise routine to help reduce your risk of a stroke.
Prevention
- Talk to your doctor about how to reduce your stroke risk. ...
- Take a small bite out of healthy eating. ...
- Make a move to get active. ...
- Know your healthy weight. ...
- Take a look at your alcohol use: For the next couple of weeks, keep track of how many drinks you have each day. ...
- Look through the smokescreen: People who smoke have more than twice the risk of stroke. ...
Complications
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. People of all ages and backgrounds can have a stroke. However, some demographic factors put certain people at higher risk of stroke or death from stroke. These include: Race/ethnicity. African Americans have almost two times the risk of white people of having a first stroke.
How do I reduce the risk of having a stroke?
How to reduce the risk of having a stroke?
How to reduce your risk of a stroke?
Who is at most risk for a stroke?
What are 4 risk factors for stroke?
Who is at risk for a stroke?High blood pressure. ... Heart disease. ... Diabetes. ... Smoking. ... Birth control pills (oral contraceptives)History of TIAs (transient ischemic attacks). ... High red blood cell count. ... High blood cholesterol and lipids.More items...
What are risk factors for stroke?
The major risk factors for stroke include: High blood pressure. Diabetes. Heart and blood vessel diseases: Conditions that can cause blood clots or other blockages include coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease, and carotid artery disease.
What are the 5 leading causes of a stroke?
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes are leading causes of stroke. One in 3 U.S. adults has at least one of these conditions or habits.
What are six risk factors for stroke?
Some of the most important treatable risk factors for stroke are:High blood pressure, or hypertension. Hypertension is by far the most potent risk factor for stroke. ... Cigarette smoking. ... Heart disease. ... Warning signs or history of TIA or stroke. ... Diabetes. ... Cholesterol imbalance. ... Physical inactivity and obesity.
What are the three main causes of strokes?
CausesHigh blood pressure. Your doctor may call it hypertension. ... Tobacco. Smoking or chewing it raises your odds of a stroke. ... Heart disease. This condition includes defective heart valves as well as atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, which causes a quarter of all strokes among the very elderly. ... Diabetes.
What are the 4 silent signs of a stroke?
Silent Stroke SymptomsSudden lack of balance.Temporary loss of basic muscle movement (bladder included)Slight memory loss.Sudden changes in mood or personality.Issues with cognitive skills and ability.
How can I reduce my risk of stroke?
Prevent Stroke: What You Can DoChoose healthy foods and drinks. Choosing healthy meal and snack options can help you prevent stroke. ... Keep a healthy weight. ... Get regular physical activity. ... Don't smoke. ... Limit alcohol. ... Check cholesterol. ... Control blood pressure. ... Control diabetes.More items...•
What are the signs before having a stroke?
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
Is stress a risk factor for stroke?
Background and Purpose— Lay people often mention stress as one of the most important risk factors for stroke. Stress might trigger a cerebrovascular event directly or could be associated with higher levels of blood pressure or an unfavorable lifestyle.
What are 3 uncontrollable risk factors?
The "uncontrollable" risk factors are:Age (the risk increases with age)Gender (men develop CAD 10 years earlier than women)Family history (genetic predisposition and common lifestyles increase risk)Race (incidence is greater in some groups of African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, native American Indians,)
Is stress a risk factor for stroke?
Background and Purpose— Lay people often mention stress as one of the most important risk factors for stroke. Stress might trigger a cerebrovascular event directly or could be associated with higher levels of blood pressure or an unfavorable lifestyle.
How can I avoid having a stroke?
Prevent Stroke: What You Can DoChoose healthy foods and drinks. Choosing healthy meal and snack options can help you prevent stroke. ... Keep a healthy weight. ... Get regular physical activity. ... Don't smoke. ... Limit alcohol. ... Check cholesterol. ... Control blood pressure. ... Control diabetes.More items...•
What foods can trigger a stroke?
Foods That Can Trigger A StrokeProcessed Foods That Contain Trans Fat. Processed foods or junk foods, such as crackers, chips, store-bought goods and fried foods, typically contain a lot of trans fat, a very dangerous type of fat because it increases inflammation in the body. ... Smoked And Processed Meats. ... Table Salt.
What causes a stroke?
A stroke is caused when blood flow to your brain is stopped or disrupted.
What are the complications of having a stroke?
Recovery from stroke and the specific ability affected depends on the size and location of the stroke.
What is a stroke?
A stroke, or brain attack, happens when blood flow to your brain is stopped. It is an emergency situation.
What are the symptoms of a stroke?
A stroke is an emergency situation. It’s important to know the signs of a stroke and get help quickly. Call 911 or your local emergency number right away. Treatment is most effective when started right away.
How much more likely is it to have a stroke if you have a TIA?
If you have had one or more TIAs, you are almost 10 times more likely to have a stroke than someone of the same age and sex who has not had a TIA. High red blood cell count. A significant increase in the number of red blood cells thickens the blood and makes clots more likely. This raises the risk for stroke.
Why do African Americans have a higher risk of death from stroke than whites?
This is partly because the African-American population has a greater incidence of high blood pressure. Gender. Stroke occurs more often in men, but more women than men die from stroke.
When is the best time to start treatment for stroke?
Treatment is most effective when started right away. Emergency treatment after a stroke may include:
What is your risk for stroke?
Have either of your parents, grandparents, or any one of your siblings or cousins had a stroke?
How many pregnant women have a stroke?
About 3 out of 10,000 pregnant women have a stroke during pregnancy compared to 2 out of 10,000 young women who are not pregnant. Mothers who develop preeclampsia during pregnancy double the risk of stroke later in life.#N#Lower your risk for stroke by talking to your doctor. Pregnant women with very high blood pressure should be treated with safe blood pressure medications.
Do African Americans die from strokes?
The National Stroke Association reports that African Americans are twice as likely to die from stroke as Caucasians. The rate of first strokes in African Americans is almost double that of Caucasians. The statistics are staggering-African Americans are affected by stroke more often than any other group.
What are the risk factors for stroke?
A recent international (22 nation) case-control study (INTERSTROKE) found that 10 modifiable risk factors explained 90% of the risk of stroke (Table 2).24The investigators enrolled 3000 patients with stroke (n=2337 ischemic, n=663 hemorrhagic), and found that hypertension, current smoking, waist-to-hip ratio, diet risk score, regular physical activity, diabetes mellitus, binge alcohol consumption, psychosocial stress and depression, cardiac disease, and ratio of apolipoprotein B to A1 were all associated with ischemic stroke risk. Risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage included hypertension, smoking, waist-to-hip ratio, diet, and heavy alcohol consumption. Considering the majority of strokes are first strokes within this study, these findings further illustrate the importance of primary prevention through the reduction of modifiable risk factors, particularly those that confer the greatest risk, to reduce the risk of a first stroke event.25While much is known about long-term stroke risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerotic disease, much less is known about short-term risk factors, or triggers, for stroke.26
What biomarkers are associated with stroke?
Levels of inflammatory biomarkers have been associated with increased risk of stroke, just as they have been associated with risk of other cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality. C-reactive protein, measured using a high-sensitivity assay (hsCRP), is one marker that has been particularly well-studied. HsCRP has become the inflammatory marker of choice in the clinical setting because of its consistent association with cardiovascular events, its long half-life, and its stability when stored frozen for prolonged periods of time. A meta-analysis of 54 prospective cohort studies, including a total of >160,309 individuals, found a modest association between hsCRP levels and ischemic stroke (relative risk per standard deviation increase in the log CRP concentration 1.27, 95% CI 1.15–1.40).151Similar results were obtained in a meta-analysis of 12 observational studies of hsCRP and stroke risk152. Genetic studies, however, have not confirmed a causal association between hsCRP and ischemic stroke risk. In one study, single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CRPgene were associated with elevations in hsCRP levels, but these polymorphisms were not associated with an increase in stroke risk.153
What are the racial disparities in stroke?
There are well-documented racial disparities in stroke. 34African Americans are at twice the risk of incident stroke when compared to their white counterparts, and have higher mortality associated with stroke.34-44Hispanic/Latino Americans also have an increased risk of stroke in some cohorts. The disparity in stroke incidence is particularly prominent among younger black adults where the risk for subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage is substantially higher than age-matched whites.38, 40Furthermore, American Indians have an increased incidence of stroke compared to non-Hispanic whites.45As illustrated recently by the REGARDS study, one reason for the racial disparities could be the higher prevalence of stroke risk factors, such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, among African Americans.46-52However, these additional risk factors do not completely explain the increased risk seen in these racial-ethnic groups.53Black race has been identified as a factor in the relationship between rurality and stroke risk,53, 54but this could be attributed to issues with access to healthcare.34, 55, 56Other factors that may influence racial-ethnic differences in stroke risk include other social determinants of disease, language, and nativity.57-60The racial disparity in stroke mortality is being driven by the racial disparities in stroke incidence, highlighting the importance of stroke prevention interventions aimed at minority groups.61Interestingly, the association seen between black race and stroke, while strong for incident stroke, does not remain for recurrent stroke.62This could be due to stroke risk factors being addressed upon discharge from the primary stroke event.
Does blood pressure affect stroke risk?
Recent studies have suggested that intraindividual variability in blood pressure measurements, or differences in blood pressure measures taken at different points in time within an individual, are associated with stroke risk beyond the risk due to elevated mean blood pressure alone. For example, British investigators, using data from 4 randomized controlled trials of patients with hypertension, prior stroke, or prior transient ischemic attack, found that variability in 2–10 blood pressure measures over approximately 2 years is a risk factor for stroke, independent of mean blood pressure.72The measure of blood pressure variability may serve as an indication of the absence of cardiovascular homeostasis within the individual. These results suggest that blood pressure agents that reduce variability and not just mean blood pressure, such as calcium channel blockers, may have greater benefits. Other studies have not confirmed this association, however. In the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), for example, using a model that also accounted for intraindividual change in blood pressure over time, blood pressure variability was not associated with stroke risk, though it was associated with cardiac events and all-cause mortality.73
Is a high proportion of hemmoragic strokes a ischemic stroke?
There is evidence that a high proportion of hemorrhagic stroke, relative to ischemic stroke, can be found in developing countries, where the burden of hypertensive disorders is greater. As the recognition and treatment of hypertension has improved in those countries, often with an increase in Western style diets, the proportion of hemorrhagic strokes declines, and the proportion of ischemic strokes, as well as cardiovascular disease in general, increases. This pattern of the epidemiologic transition, from hypertensive hemorrhagic stroke to ischemic strokes, and their associated risk factors, has been particularly well-illustrated over a relatively short period of time in studies of stroke in Beijing, China, during that country’s rapid economic development over recent decades.11From 1984 through 2004, for example, the incidence of hemorrhagic stroke declined by 1.7% annually, while the incidence of ischemic stroke increased by 8.7%. The proportion of deaths due to cerebrovascular disease declined, moreover, and the proportion of ischemic heart disease increased.
Does inflammation cause stroke?
The reasons for the association of inflammation with stroke risk remain uncertain. Because atherosclerosis is recognized to have a highly inflammatory character, with plaque containing high levels of activated macrophages and inflammatory mediators, it may be that elevated levels of inflammatory markers reflect a high burden of atherosclerosis, or perhaps a highly active form of atherosclerosis. Thus elevated inflammatory markers may simply serve as a marker of inflammatory burden from these plaques, making elevations in hsCRP a kind of epiphenomenon of vascular disease burden due to other conventional risk factors. Observational studies have generally tried to eliminate confounding by these other risk factors through the use of statistical adjustment, but the possibility of residual confounding, due to the inability to completely measure all such risk factors or their severity, remains. The genetic studies that have failed to confirm that CRPgene mutations cause an increase in risk would be consistent with possibility of residual confounding. There is, however, some evidence that CRP, an acute phase protein, may directly contribute to risk of stroke. Monomeric CRP, for example, interacts with other immune mediators to activate platelets and complement proteins.154Functionally, each CRP monomeric subunit has a recognition face and an effector face. The recognition face can bind to a diverse set of structural groups, including phosphocholine residues in the C-polysaccharide fraction of Streptococcus pneumoniaeand apoptotic cells, nuclear autoantigens, and lipoproteins.155Binding of the recognition face induces a conformational change that allows the effector face to activate the complement pathway by binding to C1q and Fc receptors, some of which are found on endothelial cells.156Through this and other mechanisms, CRP, cytokines, and other inflammatory mediators may directly contribute to stroke risk.157
Does HIV cause stroke?
Recent studies have also found that Human Immunodefici ency Virus (HIV) infection is associated with a modest increased risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, even in the era of highly active anti-retroviral therapy.162, 163Mechanisms for this increase in risk remain uncertain, but the risk appears to be higher among those with evidence of greater immunosuppression, such as lower (<200 cells/mm3) CD4+ T-cell counts and higher number of HIV-1 RNA copies. HIV may directly injure the arterial wall. There is evidence, for example, that outward arterial remodeling, or relative thinning of the arterial wall, occurs more commonly in patients with HIV who have protracted infections and greater viral load prior to death.164Other studies do not suggest a direct effect of immunosuppression on vascular risk, though the risk may differ between cardiac and cerebrovascular events.165Other explanations include a higher burden of cardiovascular risk factors among those with HIV infection and adverse metabolic effects of the anti-retroviral drugs themselves.166
Which race has the highest risk of stroke?
Race — African Americans have a higher risk of stroke than do people of other races.
How to prevent a stroke?
Prevention. Knowing your stroke risk factors, following your doctor's recommendations and adopting a healthy lifestyle are the best steps you can take to prevent a stroke. If you've had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), these measures might help prevent another stroke.
How does a stroke affect your speech?
Difficulty talking or swallowing. A stroke might affect control of the muscles in your mouth and throat, making it difficult for you to talk clearly, swallow or eat. You also may have difficulty with language, including speaking or understanding speech, reading, or writing. Memory loss or thinking difficulties.
What to do if you have a stroke?
If you observe any of these signs, call 911 or emergency medical help immediately. Call 911 or your local emergency number right away. Don't wait to see if symptoms stop. Every minute counts. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the greater the potential for brain damage and disability.
How do you know if you have a stroke?
You may experience confusion, slur your words or have difficulty understanding speech. Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg.
What happens if you have a stroke?
If one arm begins to fall, you may be having a stroke. Also, one side of your mouth may droop when you try to smile. Problems seeing in one or both eyes. You may suddenly have blurred or blackened vision in one or both eyes, or you may see double.
Is stroke prevention the same as heart disease?
Many stroke prevention strategies are the same as strategies to prevent heart disease. In general, healthy lifestyle recommendations include: