Who is at risk of stroke?
Anyone can have a stroke, although there are some things that make you more at risk than others. It’s important to know what the risk factors are and do what you can to reduce your risk. Some of the main risk factors for stroke are:
Age
The largest number of people who have strokes are aged over 55, and the risk increases as you get older.
This is because our arteries naturally become narrower and harder as we get older, making them more likely to become blocked.
Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions can increase your risk of stroke. These include:
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- atrial fibrillation
- high cholesterol
An important way to reduce your risk of stroke is to find out if you have any of these conditions and work with your doctor to manage them.
Ethnicity
If you are South Asian, black African or black Caribbean you are at a higher risk of stroke than other people in the UK.
It isn’t completely understood why this is, but it’s probably connected to the fact that you are more likely to have conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.
Genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease or having a family history of stroke also increase your chances of having a stroke.
Lifestyle
The way we live has a big impact on our risk of stroke.
Things like smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight and eating unhealthy foods can damage your blood vessels, increase your blood pressure and make your blood more likely to clot.