Prevention
![Caregiver helps prevent stroke likely-hood](/capital/-/media/images/um-capital/health-services/heart-and-vascular/stroke-prevention-1.jpg?h=310&w=550&la=en&hash=0DB104A6C09AFA9A5A8DBF57767A149B)
Anyone can have a stroke, but certain factors place you at a higher risk.
Some factors cannot be changed, while others are linked to lifestyle factors that you can control.
Inherent Risk Factors
- Risk of stroke increases as we age.
- Men are more likely to have strokes than women, but more women die from strokes.
- If your parent, grandparent or sibling had a stroke, you are more likely to have one.
- African-Americans have a greater risk of stroke than Caucasians because of an increased risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.
- If you had a stroke before, you are at greater risk to have another.
Reduce the Risk of Stroke
Steps you can take to help prevent a stroke include:
- Control diabetes
- Control blood pressure
- Eat a healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Lower LDL cholesterol
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Quit smoking
Make an appointment with one of our neurology specialists today.
![Stroke Care Badge](/capital/-/media/images/umms/portlets/badges-accreditations-all-members-and-systems/um-capital/2024-badges/1-stroke-care-in-state-2.png)