When blood vessels in your brain cannot properly handle blood flow, a stroke develops. This is a very dangerous condition in which brain cells die from not being able to get nourished from blood. It can occur due to fat deposits blocking the blood vessel, an accumulation of old blood that cannot move through the vessels or a blood vessel that simply bursts because it is so weak. Either way, when a person gets a stroke, they are at risk of losing much of their mental facilities or even dying. For this reason the public needs to be aware of the various stroke causes, which are factors that increase a person's likelihood of developing the condition. This article will talk about some of the most common stroke causes.
Genetics
Of the stroke causes that are out there, genetics is the number one cause behind development of a stroke. The stroke risk is highest if a blood relative has had the condition, such as a parent or a sibling. It should be noted that genetics is a stroke cause when it comes to both mild strokes and full-blown strokes.
Race
African Americans are more likely to develop a stroke than whites or Asians. Researchers are not fully sure why this is. Some think it may be due to a more stressful life associated with racism; others may think it could be differences in diet and/or lack of suitable healthcare. Either way, African Americans should be aware that race unfortunately is one of the most major stroke causes.
Gender
Ironically enough, stroke will affect men and women in equal numbers, but when it comes to death, men will take the lead.
Age
Individuals who are middle-aged and older are at greater risk of developing a stroke. This particular stroke cause increases as a person gets older. The main reason this occurs is because the body is not as effective at pumping out the blood as well as it did when it was younger. This is why it is especially important for older people to eat well, though younger people should be aware that if they start healthy eating habits early, they will have less of a worry for stroke when they get older.
Hypertension
Hypertension, (which is also known as high blood pressure), is a serious stroke cause because it causes damage to the blood vessels. The best way to try and limit this stroke cause is by eating well, exercising and most importantly taking hypertension medication.
Too Much Bad Cholesterol
It doesn't take much to understand why too many LDLs, (bad cholesterol) is one of the most serious stroke causes. This is because LDLs are basically the fat deposits that cause the stroke in the first place. You will want to severely limit your consumption of this type of cholesterol, especially if you possess some of the other stroke causes mentioned in this article. You can lower your LDL level by eating good cholesterol, (known as HDL). These are found in polyunsaturated fats, which are common in nuts and olive oil.