Can Anyone Have a Stroke?

Anyone can have a stroke. About one quarter of all strokes happen to younger people and children. Babies have even had strokes. But almost eighty percent of all strokes can be prevented.

There are many risk factors. Men are at higher risk for stroke than women but women are one and a half times more likely to die than a man will. However, middle aged women are more at risk than middle aged men. People of South Asian, African-American or Hispanic have an increased risk than those of European origin and usually they have strokes at a younger age.

Controllable risk factors are: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, poor circulation, smoking, alcohol, obesity, poor diet and inactivity. Uncontrollable risk factors are: age, gender, race, family history, being aged 55 or older or being male. Also those suffering from atrial fibrilation or TIA's (transient ischemic attack which are mini strokes) are more likely to experience a stroke.

Other uncontrollable risk factors are a genetic predisposition/genetic disorder which may be a gene mutation leading to damage of blood vessel walls in the brain, blocking the blood flow. Each child of a parent with a family history of this disorder has a fifty percent chance of inheriting the disease.

Your stroke risk is also higher if a parent, grandparent, sister or brother have already had a stroke. Also, those who have previously had strokes, TIA's or heart attacks are at a far greater risk of suffering from a stroke than those who have not.

Strokes are considered to be more common in the southeastern part of the United States than in other areas. There is also evidence that strokes are more common among low-income people than those who are more affluent. Alcohol and drug abuse are also considered to be high risk factors.

One in six people will have a stroke some time in their lifetime. Based on this information and the fact that there are so many risk factors involved pertaining to what is controllable and what isn't, we now know, as many people have long held to be true, that the risk is not only in being over sixty-five years of age.

And because thee are so many risk factors, and because younger as well as older people can have strokes, it is important to remember the following warning signs: F.A.S.T.: F. - Face drooping; A. - Arm weakness; S. - Speech difficulty; T. - Time to call 9-1-1.

So can anyone have a stroke? Technically almost anyone can but it's important to remember that there is much we can do to prevent a stroke from happening. But it is also important to remember that much of what happens concerning our health can be controlled by how we treat our bodies.