May 16, 2019 | Delker Vardilos

Know Your Stroke Risk

Our Stroke Awareness Month coverage continues with a report on risk factors and steps you and your loved ones can take to try to prevent stroke.

Man, woman and child cycling

(Getty Images)

It is a misconception that only older people have strokes. Although the chances increase as you age, the reality is that a stroke can happen at any age.

As May is National Stroke Awareness Month, it is a good a time to ask: Do you know what risk factors increase the risk of having a stroke?

If your diet is unhealthy and you don’t exercise, this heightens your stroke risk. Also, obesity, drinking too much alcohol, and tobacco use are risk factors. These behaviors may lead to other conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.

Other risk factors for stroke include:

  • Genetics and family history.
  • Age: The chance of having a stroke almost doubles every 10 years after age 55.
  • Gender: Stroke is more common in women than men, and women of all ages are more likely than men to die from stroke.
  • Race or ethnicity: Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, and Alaska Natives may be more likely to have a stroke than non-Hispanic whites or Asians. The risk of having a first stroke is nearly twice as high for blacks as it is for whites.

“Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability, which leads those who have had a stroke to long-term disabilities,” says Jennifer Sposito, Stroke Clinical Program Coordinator at UConn Health’s Stroke Center. “But, there is good news. According to the American Heart Association, 80% of strokes can be prevented.”

What steps can you start taking today to lessen your stroke risk?

  • Choose a healthy diet: Eat foods high in fiber and low in saturated and trans fats; and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
  • Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight increases your stroke risk; calculate your BMI (body mass index) to determine if you are in a healthy weight range.
  • Increase your physical activity: Just a few hours of physical activity weekly will lessen your risk; even walking counts.
  • Quit smoking, or don’t start.
  • Limit your alcohol intake: Too much alcohol could raise your blood pressure, which increases your stroke risk.

”We teach our patients to practice a healthy lifestyle,” adds Sposito. “In our stroke clinic at UConn Health, we review healthy habits with lifestyle, diet, exercise, managing chronic diseases and medication adherence.”

For more information, visit UConn Health Stroke Center.