Strokes are on the rise. Here are 5 ways to lower your risk | Fortune Well

Nov 02, 2024

For the first time in 10 years, the American Stroke Association has updated its guidelines for stroke prevention. The “2024 Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke,” published in the journal Stroke, empowers people to take precautions to reduce their risk of stroke, which is the No. 5 cause of death in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Most strokes happen in older adults, but the rate of strokes in Americans ages 18 to 65 rose by about 15% between 2011 and 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While numerous factors—both uncontrollable and lifestyle-dependent—leave people more susceptible to strokes, there are simple changes you can make to help lower your risk.

Unfortunately, there are some stroke risk factors that you can’t control, especially for women. These include:

But there are key health behaviors that everyone should pay attention to. The Stroke Association calls them Life’s Essential 8 cardiovascular health metrics that are known stroke risks. They are:

The new guidelines advise the following lifestyle behaviors to help offset stroke risk factors—even those out of your control.

It’s also important to recognize the warning signs of a stroke so you can get help quickly. The the American Stroke Association’s acronym F.A.S.T.:

Other signs of stroke can include: