- High blood pressure. High blood pressure (140/90 mm Hg or higher) is the most important risk factor for stroke. It usually has no specific symptoms and no early warning signs. Get your survivor's and your blood pressure checked regularly.
NOTE : Use a blood pressure cuff to monitor blood pressure at home. It's simple to use and gives a much better picture of your survivor's blood pressure situation than irregular trips to the doctor.Two-thirds of those who have first strokes have blood pressure higher than 160/95. Those with these numbers have four times the risk of stroke as someone with normal blood pressure.
- Diabetes. Diabetes is defined as a fasting (tested on an empty stomach) blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or more measured on two occasions. Even when diabetes is treated, having it still increases stroke risk. Many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and are overweight, increasing their risk even more. If you or your survivor have diabetes, work closely with your doctor to manage it.
- Carotid or other artery disease. The carotid arteries in your neck supply blood to your brain. If these arteries become narrowed by fatty deposits (called "plaque") from atherosclerosis, they may become blocked by a blood clot. PAD (peripheral artery disease) is the narrowing of blood vessels carrying blood to leg and arm muscles. People with PAD have a higher risk of carotid artery disease and an increased risk of stroke.
NOTE:
Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) is the process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called "plaque."
Everybody has atherosclerosis, even young children. The only variable (difference) is how much atherosclerosis a person has. It starts in the aorta (main arterial trunk that carries blood from the heart to the arteries for distribution throughout the body) and progressively narrows arteries and makes them less flexible, decreasing blood flow, and increasing blood pressure.
- Atrial fibrillation (a-fib). This is a heart rhythm disorder where the heart's upper chambers (atria) quiver instead of contracting effectively. Because of this, blood can pool and form clots. If a clot enters the bloodstream and lodges in an artery leading to or in the brain, a stroke results.
- Other heart disease. People with coronary heart disease or heart failure have a higher risk of stroke than those with hearts that work normally. An enlarged heart, heart valve disease, and some types of congenital heart defects also increase stroke risk.
- "TIAs" (transient ischemic attacks). TIAs are "mini- strokes" caused by blood vessel blockage that becomes unclogged on its own and produces no lasting damage. Think of TIAs as "warning strokes." However, most strokes are not preceded by TIAs. Stroke and TIA have exactly the same warning signs. If you see any of them, it is a medical emergency: dial 9-1-1.
- Certain blood disorders. A high red blood cell count thickens the blood and makes clots more likely. Doctors may treat this problem by removing blood cells or prescribing "blood thinners." Sickle cell disease (also called sickle cell anemia) is a genetic (family history) disorder that mainly affects African Americans and makes red blood cells less capable of carrying oxygen. They also tend to stick to vessel walls, which can block arteries to the brain and cause a stroke.
- High blood cholesterol. A high level of total cholesterol (240 mg/dL or higher) is a major risk factor for heart disease, which raises stroke risk. High levels of LDL (remember the "l" means less desirable or lousy) cholesterol (greater than 100 mg/dL) and triglycerides (blood fats, 150 mg/dL or higher) increase the risk of stroke in people with previous coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, or TIA. Low levels (less than 40 mg/dL for men; less than 50 mg/dL for women) of HDL (highly desirable; healthy or good) cholesterol also may raise stroke risk.
