Family history and race
If a parent, grandparent, brother or sister has had a stroke, your risk of having one is greater. African Americans’ risk for stroke is up to four times higher than non-Hispanic whites. This is due in part to the increased rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity among blacks.

Age
Strokes can happen to people of any age, even children — especially those with sickle cell disease. But the older you are, the greater your risk for stroke.

Sex
More men than women have a stroke each year. But at all ages more women than men die of stroke. In 2002, more than 11,000 black females and 7,800 black males died of stroke.

Previous stroke or heart attack
If you’ve had a stroke, you’re at a much higher risk for having another one. If you’ve had a heart attack, this also raises your risk for having a stroke.

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High blood pressure
High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke. It’s often called the “silent killer” because it usually has no symptoms. It affects 40 percent of African-American men and women over age 20.

Have your blood pressure checked at least once every two years — and more often if you have a family history of high blood pressure, stroke or heart attack. Then remember your numbers. Compare your results with the chart below.

If your readings are in the prehypertension or high-range areas, work with your doctor to lower your blood pressure. You may also need to take medicine. Be sure to take it as instructed. If you have side effects, talk to your doctor before you stop taking it.

Smoking
Smoking cigarettes puts you at much greater risk for having a stroke. Constant exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke also increases your risk — even if you don’t smoke. If you’re a woman who uses birth control pills and smokes, your risk is even higher.

The bottom line is this: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quit! When you stop smoking — no matter how long or how much you’ve smoked — your risk of stroke drops.

Diabetes
Diabetes is a fasting plasma glucose (blood sugar level) of 126 mg/dL or more on at least two occasions. It can be controlled, but it still increases your risk for stroke.

People with diabetes often also have high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol, and are overweight. This increases their risk for stroke even more. If you have diabetes, work with your doctor to manage it.

Carotid or other artery disease
The carotid arteries in your neck supply blood to your brain. A carotid artery narrowed by fatty deposits may become blocked by a blood clot.

Peripheral artery disease is the term for narrowed blood vessels that carry blood to leg and arm muscles. If you have peripheral artery disease, you have a higher risk of carotid artery disease, which raises your risk of stroke.

Atrial fibrillation
In atrial fibrillation the heart’s upper chambers quiver instead of beating effectively. This lets the blood pool and clot, raising the risk for stroke. If a clot breaks off, enters the bloodstream and lodges in an artery leading to the brain, a stroke results.

Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or “mini strokes”)
TIAs produce stroke-like symptoms, but no lasting damage. They are strong predictors of stroke. Don’t ignore a TIA — call 9-1-1 to get medical attention right away. Learn the signs of a stroke. They also apply to TIAs.

High blood cholesterol
A high level of total cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for heart disease, which raises your risk of stroke. Among non-Hispanic blacks age 20 and older, more than one-third of men and nearly half of women have total blood cholesterol levels over 200 mg/dL — a level at which the risk for heart attack and stroke increases.

High levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides (blood fats) can increase the risk of stroke in people with prior coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke or TIA.

A high level of HDL (“good”) cholesterol lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. A low level of HDL cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease and stroke.