Guide To Significant Stroke Causes And Risk Factors

A stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency where an individual experiences brain damage caused by a lack of blood supply to parts of the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when one of the blood vessels in the brain ruptures and begins to bleed into the brain tissues, and an ischemic stroke occurs when a blockage occurs from a clot or embolus lodged in a blood vessel in the brain. An individual who is having a stroke experiences symptoms such as facial numbness and weakness, trouble speaking, confusion, balance loss, coordination loss, sudden severe headache, vision issues, and difficulty walking. When a stroke is suspected, blood tests, MRIs, CT scans, carotid ultrasound, cerebral angiogram, echocardiogram, and a physical examination can be used to confirm the diagnosis. The way a stroke is treated depends on the stroke type, location, and extent of brain damage.

Several factors can cause a stroke or increase the risk of a stroke. Get familiar with these causes and risk factors now.

Being Overweight Or Obese

An individual is at a significantly higher risk of having a stroke by being overweight or obese due to several stroke-promoting mechanisms. Being overweight or obese is associated with a diet high in fat and sugar. This type of diet causes metabolic disorders to be more prevalent among overweight or obese individuals. Excess adipose tissue in individuals who are overweight or obese tends to release toxic substances into the bloodstream and body that cause extensive inflammation. Inflammation is a critical key to the process of the formation of plaque inside of the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. High blood sugar is also a key contributor to inflammation in the body. Overweight or obese individuals have a higher total blood volume than those who have a healthy body mass index because more blood is needed to supply the extra adipose tissues in the body. High blood volume causes high blood pressure, which also contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and other factors that can result in both an ischemic and a hemorrhagic stroke. Overweight or obese individuals are at an increased risk of a stroke due to the combination of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation in their body.

Uncover more risk factors linked to a stroke now.

Lack Of Physical Activity

An individual who has a lack of physical activity in their regular routine is at a higher risk of experiencing a stroke than individuals who are more physically active. Exercising daily provides a host of health benefits. Specifically, a type of exercise called aerobic exercise is known to help increase the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is the beneficial type of cholesterol. The more high-density lipoprotein cholesterol an individual has in their body, the less low-density lipoprotein cholesterol they will have. A decrease in the level of bad cholesterol results in a decrease in an individual's stroke risk. Exercising regularly is also known to lower blood sugar, which helps prevent insulin resistance and diabetes. Metabolic disorders like diabetes cause weight gain and increased blood pressure. Furthermore, exercising for a minimum of 150 minutes every week helps eliminate the presence of any excess fatty or adipose tissue. Adipose tissue causes an increase in blood pressure and inflammation in the body, which both contribute to an increased risk of having a stroke.

Keep reading to reveal more stroke risk factors now.

Chronic High Blood Pressure

One of the most prevalent increased risk factors of a stroke in the general population is chronic high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a term that describes a higher than average amount of force blood is putting on the blood vessel walls as it moves through them. While the blood vessels in the body are designed to be adaptive to high blood pressure, they can only adapt to a certain extent. Beyond the ability of the blood vessels to stretch and accommodate high blood pressure, the inner vessel walls begin to split, tear, and incur damage. After an extended period of high blood pressure, numerous artery walls become damaged. This damage to the lining of the arteries or the endothelium allows toxic and harmful substances to enter the vessel walls. Once these substances enter the wall of the arteries, they solidify and accumulate. This condition is referred to as cardiovascular disease or atherosclerosis. Plaque buildup in an artery of the brain can restrict blood flow and cause a stroke. A stray clump of plaque can also become lodged in an artery in the brain and result in a stroke.

Discover additional risk factors for experiencing a stroke now.

High Cholesterol

An individual is at a greater risk of experiencing a stroke when they have high levels of certain plaque-promoting substances in their body like high cholesterol. High cholesterol refers to when an individual has a large amount of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in their body. This harmful cholesterol gravitates to the areas where the individual has damage in their blood vessel and lodges itself in the blood vessel walls in the vulnerable areas. The individual's immune system senses the harmful substance and sends an influx of immune components to the site to encapsulate or trap the substance. However, the reaction between the white blood cells and the cholesterol is not helpful, as it triggers the proliferation of muscle cells on the interior lining of the artery that develops a cap over it. High cholesterol in the body can allow this process to occur in dozens of blood vessels. Quick spikes of high blood pressure or another form of impact can result in the rupture of the plaque cap, releasing the hardened clump of cholesterol into the bloodstream. The plaque can then travel to the individual's brain and become lodged in an artery, causing a stroke.

Read more about the risk factors associated with strokes now.

Cardiovascular Disease

The presence of cardiovascular disease can cause an individual to be at a significantly higher risk of experiencing a stroke than someone healthy. Cardiovascular disease refers to a group of conditions characterized by the partial blockage or narrowing of blood vessels. The most common cause of cardiovascular disease is atherosclerosis, which is the inappropriate and excessive accumulation of a fatty substance called plaque on the inside lining of the blood vessels. Atherosclerosis causes the walls of the arteries to become stiff and inflexible. A lower quantity of blood can flow through stiff and hard blood vessels, making the heart work harder and blood pressure increase. A stroke can occur when one of the main arteries that supply brain tissues has an excessive plaque accumulation to the point where no blood can flow through it. This restriction of blood flow causes damage to the brain tissues and is referred to as an ischemic stroke. Another way atherosclerosis can cause a stroke is when a piece of the plaque breaks from its origination point, travels through the bloodstream and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain. This obstruction of blood flow is also referred to as an ischemic stroke.