Risk factors for stroke include those you can change and those you can't change.

Having certain diseases increases your risk for stroke. If you can control the disease, you lower your risk.

Risk factors you can control include:

• High blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure is the second most important stroke risk factor after age.²
• Diabetes. About one-quarter of people with diabetes die of stroke. Having diabetes doubles your risk for stroke because of the circulation problems associated with the disease.²
• High cholesterol. High cholesterol can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attack, which can damage the heart muscle and increase your risk for stroke.
• Coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.
• Other heart conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, endocarditis, heart valve conditions, patent foramen ovale, or cardiomyopathy.
• Smoking, including secondhand smoke.
• Physical inactivity.
• Being overweight.
• Use of some medications, such as birth control pills—especially by women who smoke or have a history of blood-clotting problems—and anticoagulants or steroids. In postmenopausal women, hormone replacement therapy has been shown to slightly increase the risk of stroke.⁷
• Heavy use of alcohol. People who drink alcohol excessively, especially people who binge drink, are more likely to have a stroke. Binge drinking is defined as drinking more than 5 drinks in a short period of time.
• Use of cocaine and other illegal drugs.