Being Male
Although men have a higher risk for
stroke, more women will die from stroke. The stroke risk for men is 1.25 times that for women. However, men do not live as long as women, so men are usually younger when they have their strokes and therefore have a higher rate of survival than women. In other words, even though women have fewer strokes than men, women are generally older when they have their strokes and are more likely to die from them.
Being African American
In African Americans, stroke is more common and more deadly -- even in young and middle-aged adults -- than for any other ethnic or racial group in the United States.
Stroke research scientists have found more severe risk factors in some minority groups and are continuing to look for patterns of stroke in these groups.
Having a Family History of Stroke
If your father, mother, brother, or sister had a stroke, you are more likely to have one also. Several factors might contribute to familial stroke risk. Members of a family might have a genetic tendency for stroke risk factors, such as an inherited risk for
high blood pressure or
diabetes. The influence of a common lifestyle among family members could also contribute to familial stroke.
Having a History of Stroke, TIA, or Heart Attack
People with a history of stroke,
transient ischemic attack (
TIA or
mini-stroke), or
heart attack are at significantly increased risk for a stroke compared to a person without one of these conditions. For example, a person with one TIA has about a 10 times greater risk of having a stroke.
If you experience a TIA, get help at once. Many communities encourage those with stroke's warning signs to dial 911 for emergency medical assistance. If you have had a stroke in the past, it's important to reduce your risk of a second stroke. Your brain helps you recover from a stroke by drawing on body systems that now do double duty, which means a second stroke can be twice as bad.
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