Controllable
risk factors
- High blood pressure
The arteries
wall will weaken when high blood pressure constantly passes through it because
it puts unnecessary strains on the blood vessels of the circular system. Eventually,
it bursts. It will bleed into the brain tissues and spaces between skull and
brain. This affects the brain and causes strokes. If a person has an untreated
hypertension, he will have 4 times the risk of getting a stroke. High blood
pressure also leads to aneurysm. Aneurysm is a ballooning of a portion of a
blood vessel due to the weakening part of its wall. When the pressure is too
high, it burst and leads to stroke again.
- Diabetes mellitus
Uncontrolled diabetic
mellitus causes an increase in the systolic blood pressure. This increases the
blood pressure and leads to stroke.
- Cigarette smoking
Smoking doubles
the risk of stroke. It causes artherosclerosis, which is hardening of blood
vessels. When it hardens, the blood vessels become narrow. This also leads to
high blood pressure, another main risk factor of stroke. The atherosclerotic
plaque that dislodges increases the likelihood of blood clotting. This reduces
the amount oxygen passed to the brain. Eventually some brain cells die due to
lack of oxygen which leads to stroke.
- High blood cholesterol and lipids
High blood
cholesterol and lipids causes artherosclerosis. The formation of plaques on the
wall of blood vessels decreases the amount of blood flow to the brain. At
severe condition, the blood vessel is blocked and the blood supply to the brain
is cut off. This causes stroke.
- High red blood cell count
Excessive amount
of red blood cell thickens the blood which increases the chance of blood
clotting.
Other
controllable risk factors include heart disease, history of transient ischemic attacks,
lack of exercise and physical inactivity, obesity, substance abuse, abnormal
heart rhythm and cardiac structural abnormalities.
Uncontrollable risk factors
- Age
After the age of
55, the risk of getting stroke may be more than double.
- Race
Africans, south
Asians, Hispanic and people from first nations have higher rates of diabetes
mellitus and high blood pressure. This two are the major risk factors of
stroke.
- Gender
Female before
menopause has lower possibility of getting stroke compared to male. However, the
survival rate of female patients with stroke is lower than that of males.
Other
uncontrollable risk factors include history of prior stroke and heredity.
References :
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