Stroke, Symptoms, Stroke Treatment and Rehabilitation

Risk factors

There are risk factors you cannot control such as: ethnicity, age and family history. Strokes may run in some families, either by genetic tendencies or shared lifestyles.

The most important risk factors you can control for stroke are:

Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, puts pressure on your blood vessels, increasing your risk of stroke four to six times. About one third of Americans suffer from hypertension.
Heart disease increases your risk of stroke up to six times. One type of heart disease, atrial fibrillation occurs when the two upper chambers of the heart beat rapidly and unpredictably, producing an irregular heartbeat. This pools blood in the heart that forms clots which can then be carried to the brain and cause a stroke.
Diabetes increases your risk of stroke. With your doctor's help, work to carefully control your diabetes through a nutrition program, lifestyle changes and medicine.
Cigarette smoking doubles your risk of stroke. It damages your blood vessels, contributes to the clogging of your arteries and raises your blood pressure.

Other risks include:

Increasing Age
Heavy alcohol consumption
Excess body weight
High blood cholesterol levels
Illicit drug use
Genetic or congenital conditions
Sleep Apnea, or Sleep Disordered Breathing

For more information on the Brain Attack Center at the Neuroscience Institute, please click here.


The Center's partnership with local emergency medical services enables treatment to start even before patients reach the emergency department. Stroke (Brain Attack) - What is Stroke? - Are you at Risk? - Risk Factors - Know the Warning Signs - Stroke Facts - Stroke Prevention - Treatments for Stroke - Stroke Rehabilitation Brain Tumors Interventional Neuroradiology Spinal Disorders Parkinson's Disease Sleep Disorders We have the answers. Personalized assistance & help with physican referrals is a click away. To contact our Neuro Care Coordinator, click here.		Risk factors There are risk factors you cannot control such as: ethnicity, age and family history. Strokes may run in some families, either by genetic tendencies or shared lifestyles. The most important risk factors you can control for stroke are: Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, puts pressure on your blood vessels, increasing your risk of stroke four to six times. About one third of Americans suffer from hypertension. Heart disease increases your risk of stroke up to six times. One type of heart disease, atrial fibrillation occurs when the two upper chambers of the heart beat rapidly and unpredictably, producing an irregular heartbeat. This pools blood in the heart that forms clots which can then be carried to the brain and cause a stroke. Diabetes increases your risk of stroke. With your doctor's help, work to carefully control your diabetes through a nutrition program, lifestyle changes and medicine. Cigarette smoking doubles your risk of stroke. It damages your blood vessels, contributes to the clogging of your arteries and raises your blood pressure. Other risks include: Increasing Age Heavy alcohol consumption Excess body weight High blood cholesterol levels Illicit drug use Genetic or congenital conditions Sleep Apnea, or Sleep Disordered Breathing For more information on the Brain Attack Center at the Neuroscience Institute, please click here.