Stroke in Men
On average, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds, and about 40 percent of these strokes occur in men. When someone is having a stroke, minutes matter. It's important to get treatment as quickly as possible.
Stroke Risk Factors
- Poor diet—A diet that is high in trans fat, saturated fat, and low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber increases your risk of having a stroke.
- Smoking—Smokers are at higher risk of stroke than people who do not smoke. This is one of the greatest modifiable risk factors for stroke.
- Lack of physical activity—People who do not get moderate exercise regularly are at increased risk of having a stroke.
- Drug use—Use of drugs, particularly cocaine and amphetamines, increases your risk for stroke.
- Medical conditions—The following medical conditions increase your risk of having a stroke:
- Atrial fibrillation
- Previous stroke
- Abnormalities of the blood clotting system
- Inflammation of the blood vessels
- Recent heart attack
- Heart valve disease
- Vascular disease
- Diabetes (or prediabetes)
- High blood pressure
- Blood fat disorders (such as high LDL cholesterol)
- Obesity
- Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy
- Age—Your risk of having a stroke increases as you age. Risk for stroke after a heart attack has been shown to be elevated for people over age 75.
- Gender—Earlier in life, men are at higher risk of stroke than women. But, women’s risk catches up to men’s risk about 10 years after menopause.
- Genetic Factors—Certain inherited traits may put a person at increased risk for stroke. Your risk of stroke is higher if a family member has had a stroke. This risk factor is minimal in relation to the other risk factors. But, there are some rare genetic conditions that may raise the chance of having a stroke.
- Ethnic Background—African Americans are more likely to have hemorrhagic (bleeding) strokes. This may be due to a higher incidence of high blood pressure among African Americans. This risk is also minimal in relation to the other risk factors.
