The remaining cases of high blood pressure are secondary to at least 30 different conditions. High blood pressure is often secondary to hardening of the arteries. As the arteries lose their elasticity, the heart has to beat harder to force the blood through. The result is high blood pressure. Stroke victims are generally elderly people with degeneration of blood vessels, but children and young adults also can have a stroke.
Women using oral contraceptives also tend to have more strokes.