How Likely Are You To Have A Stroke? Stroke Awareness Month 2010

Stroke, often called a "brain attack," remains our nation's third-leading killer. According to the National Stroke Association, stroke strikes about 730,000 Americans each year-killing 160,000 and forever altering the lives of the 570,000 who survive. There are an estimated four million stroke survivors living in the U.S. today.

Those statistics are pretty sobering. Several risk factors can make a person more likely to experience a stroke. These risks are divided into controllable (those you can change) and uncontrollable (those you cannot change).

Controllable Stroke Risk Factors

The good news is that more than half of all strokes can be prevented through medical attention and lifestyle changes.

• Hypertension (high blood pressure): High blood pressure can increase your stroke risk two to six times. High blood pressure means your blood pressure is consistently higher than 140/90. High blood pressure damages artery walls and can increase blood clotting action, which can lead to the formation of stroke-causing clots.
• Atrial fibrillation: If left untreated, AF can increase your stroke risk four-to six-fold. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the name of a particular type of irregular heartbeat affecting more than 1 million Americans. In AF, the left atrium (left upper chamber) of the heart beats rapidly and unpredictably. Normally, all four chambers of your heart beat in the same rhythm somewhere between 60 and 100 times every minute. In someone who has AF, the left atrium may beat as many as 400 times a minute.
• Smoking: Smoking can double your stroke risk. In addition to harming the lungs, smoking also injures blood vessel walls, speeds up hardening of the arteries, increases how hard your heart has to work, and raises blood pressure. The good news is that if you stop smoking today, within 2 to 5 years your stroke risk will be the same as that of someone who has never smoked.
• High cholesterol and excess weight: In adults, a cholesterol level of 200 or lower is best. Excess cholesterol can settle on artery walls and lead to the eventual blockage of these vessels by thrombosis. Being overweight strains the entire circulatory system and predisposes you to other stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure.

Uncontrollable Stroke Risk Factors

Although you cannot change these risk factors, you can greatly minimize their impact on your overall stroke risk by concentrating efforts on your controllable stroke risk factors.

• Age: Stroke risk doubles with each decade past age 55.
• Gender: Males have a slightly higher stroke risk than females.
• Race: African-Americans have nearly double the risk of stroke as Caucasians.
• Family history: A family history of stroke can mean you are at higher risk.
• Diabetes: Circulation problems associated with the disease may increase stroke risk even if blood sugar and insulin levels are closely managed.

In addition to these risk factors, stroke has also been associated with heavy alcohol use (especially binge drinking), elevated red blood cell counts, hormone replacement therapy after menopause, and the use of high estrogen birth control pills by female smokers over age 30. No direct relationship has yet been demonstrated between stress and stroke risk.

As with many conditions, exercising for as little as 30 minutes most days of the week reduces your stroke risk.

Sources: http://www.caregiver.org/