Reducing your risk factors for heart attack also reduce your
risk for stroke. Some risk factors for strokes are hereditary.
Others occur with age, and still others result from lifestyle
habits. Risk factors that cannot be changed include: - Male
gender. - Prior strokes. Major risk factors for stroke that may
decrease with treatment or lifestyle changes: - High blood
pressure. - Heart disease. - Transient ischemic attacks (TIA or
mini-strokes). - High red blood cell count. Other controllable
risk factors that indirectly increase stroke risk: - Physical
inactivity. - Elevated cholesterol. - Excessive alcohol intake.