What Increases Your Risk

Risk factors for stroke include those you can treat or change and those you can't change.

Risk factors you can treat or change:

• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• Atrial fibrillation.
• Diabetes.
• Smoking.
• High cholesterol.
• Heavy use of alcohol.
• Being overweight.
• Physical inactivity.

Risk factors you cannot change include:

• Age. The risk of stroke increases with age.
• Race. African Americans, Native Americans, and Alaskan Natives have a higher risk than those of other races.
• Gender. Stroke is more common in men than women until age 75, when more women than men have strokes. Because women live longer than men, more women have strokes each year.
• Family history. The risk for stroke is greater if a parent, brother, or sister has had a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).
• History of stroke or TIA.