Stroke Demographics: Who Is Most at Risk and Why?

Several factors increase a person’s risk of having a stroke, and age is the biggest.

Stroke risk increases as a person gets older, but strokes can – and do occur at any age, including children.

Learn more about stroke risk and why receiving care from an accredited team makes a difference.

Beyond Age: Ethnicity, Gender and Family History

In addition to age, other factors that can increase the risk of stroke include ethnicity, gender and family history.

Americans of Black, Hispanic and Asian descent have a higher risk of stroke than other groups. Men are more likely to have a stroke, although women are more likely to die from stroke.

Family history plays a role in stroke risk. People with a close relative, such as a parent or sibling who has had a stroke, have an increased risk of stroke.

Other vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease can also increase a person’s risk of stroke.

The Stroke Belt

Geography also plays a part in stroke risk demographics. Louisiana and Mississippi are located in the southeast U.S., which is commonly referred to as the “stroke belt” because of the higher incidence of stroke when compared to other parts of the country.

Some possible causes include higher rates of smoking, obesity and hypertension and lower levels of education and income, which leads to less access to healthcare and stroke risk factor treatments. Screening for and addressing these social determinants of health is a standard part of the care provided by our health system.

Addressing this higher incidence of stroke in Louisiana and Mississippi will require sustained effort and collaboration across multiple sectors including healthcare, public health and community development.

Stroke Care at Our Lady of the Lake

We provide high-quality stroke care and our team has met certain criteria set by national accrediting organizations.

Specifically, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is the region’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center of Excellence

Across our health system, St. Dominic Hospital is a Comprehensive Stroke Center of Excellence, which is the highest level of stroke certification available. Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center is a Primary Stroke Center of Excellence.

These designations mean our stroke centers have the resources, expertise and infrastructure to provide the highest level of care to patients who have experienced a stroke or are at risk of having a stroke.