Maryland Stroke Alliance

Risk Factors for Stroke: Addressing your risk factors decreases your chances of having a stroke.

What risk factors for stroke can’t be changed?

• Age
• Gender (Male/Female)
• Race
• Previous Stroke/TIA
• Previous Heart Attack

What risk factors for stroke can be changed, treated or controlled?

• History of a prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Smoking/Tobacco Use
• High Cholesterol/Dyslipidemia
• Overweight/Obesity
• Physical Inactivity
• Alcohol/Substance Abuse
• A-fib (atrial fibrillation)
• Carotid Artery Stenosis

Learn More…

Let’s Talk About Risk Factor’s for Stroke (.pdf)

Assess Your Risk for Stroke

Use this simple tool to find out your risk for stroke.

Stroke Risk Assessment

Risk Factor Management

• Educate yourself!  Use educational materials and web resources listed on this site.
  Let’s Talk About Lifestyle Changes To Prevent Stroke (.pdf)
• Follow-up with your health care provider as directed to manage your risk factors.
• Take your medications as directed.
  How Do I Manage My Medicines? (.pdf)
  Let’s Talk About Anticoagulants and Antiplatelet Agents (.pdf)
• Monitor and Manage Your Blood Pressure.
  Let’s Talk About High Blood Pressure and Stroke (.pdf)
  What is High Blood Pressure Medicine? (.pdf)
• Monitor and Manage your Cholesterol
  How Can I Lower My Cholesterol?
  What is Cholesterol Lowering Medicine?
• Monitor and Manage Your Blood Sugar.
  What is Diabetes and How Can I Control It?
• Stop smoking/using tobacco products
  Visit the Maryland Quit Line site: www.MDQUIT.org
  How Can I Quit Smoking?
• Stop substance abuse
• Stop illicit drug use
• Maintain a healthy weight (Weight circumference 35 inches or less for women and 40 inches or less for men)
  Why Should I Lose Weight?
• 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week
  How Should I Be Physically Active?
• Eat a healthy diet: Increase your fruits and vegetables, decrease desserts and other high fat/high sugar food and drink choices
  How Do I Follow a Healthy Diet?

 All downloadable PDFs provided with permission of the American Heart Association; © 2008 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.