Males and African-Americans are at a higher risk for stroke than others are. Diabetes is an uncontrollable risk factor for stroke. One side effect of diabetes is poor circulation, which can lead to blood clots and increase the risk of stroke. Family medical history is also an uncontrollable risk factor for stroke. Controllable risk factors may include diet, exercise and other existing medical conditions that can be managed to reduce the risk of stroke.
Smoking doubles the risk of stroke.
If a smoker quits, their risk of stroke will decrease. Lack of regular exercise and being overweight may also significantly increase the risk of stroke. Overweight individuals are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, which are also risk factors for stroke. High blood pressure is quite dangerous and often referred to as the most important risk factor to control. Someone may have high blood pressure and not know about it because there are very few symptoms.