Stroke: Factors You Can't Control

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You can’t control these risk factors. But knowing what they are can help you understand your overall risk for stroke.

Previous stroke — Having already had a stroke is the biggest risk factor for having another stroke.

Age — For every decade after the age of 55, your stroke risk doubles.

Sex — If you consider all ages, men are more likely to have strokes than women. But between the ages of 45 and 64, women are more likely to have strokes than men. This is probably because blood pressure and cholesterol (koh-LESS-tur-ol) levels rise more quickly in women than men during this period.

Menopause — Your risk of stroke increases after menopause.

Race — African Americans are more likely to have a stroke than other people. This is partly because African Americans are more likely to have risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes. The reasons for this are not entirely clear, but may be related to family history or eating habits.

Stroke family history — If stroke runs in your family, it may be because your family carries genes that increase your risk. An example would be a gene that makes your blood more likely to clot. Or it could be due to your family’s lifestyle, such as a history of eating foods high in saturated fats.

Additional Resources

Publications

1. African Americans and Stroke (Copyright © National Stroke Association) — African-Americans have a higher risk of stroke than whites. The reasons for this are not entirely clear. However, researchers have identified some of the things that place African-Americans at greater risk. This publication discusses these risk factors and the importance of making changes to reduce or eliminate these factors.

   http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AAMER

2. Menopause (Copyright © AHA) — Women’s risk of heart disease and stroke increases after menopause. One reason is that once you reach menopause, your ovaries stop making the hormone estrogen, which protects against plaque buildup. Even so, women should not take hormones, called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), to prevent heart disease or stroke. MHT can be used to relieve symptoms of menopause. This publication reviews the research on MHT and heart disease and stroke, and can help you make an informed choice if you are thinking about MHT to relieve symptoms of menopause.

   http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4658

3. Stroke Among Hispanics (Copyright © American Stroke Association) — Hispanics have higher rates of hemorrhagic stroke than any other ethnic group. They also are more likely to have strokes at a younger age. This publication discusses some of the possible risk factors that may explain the higher rates.

   http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030389

4. Stroke Risk Factors (Copyright © AHA) — This fact sheet describes the risk factors for stroke. It describes which risk factors cannot be changed and which ones can.

   http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4716

Organizations

1.   National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC, OPHS, HHS
2.   National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, HHS
3.   National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, HHS
4. American Stroke Association
5. National Stroke Association

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated: February 1, 2009