The 10 factors associated with 90% of stroke risk

Source: Lancet

A cross-cultural study recently sought to identify various stroke risk factors in 22 countries worldwide. The authors calculated “odds ratios” and “population-attributable risks” for the association of all stroke. Their findings suggest that 10 risk factors are associated with 90% percent of all risk of stroke: history of hypertension, current smoking, waist-to-hip ratio, diet risk score, regular physical activity, diabetes mellitus, alcohol intake, psychosocial stress and depression, cardiac causes, and rate of apolipoproteins B to A1.

They conclude that interventions that work to reduce blood pressure and smoking and promote exercise and a healthy diet could “substantially reduce the burden of stroke.”