Men's Health: Brain Health
Stroke
What you need to know
There are over 100,000 new stroke cases every year in the UK. (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence, 2026).
There are three types of strokes:
- Ischaemic strokes
- Haemorrhagic strokes
- Transient ischaemic strokes TIA
There are currently over 1.3 million people in the UK who are living with stroke, with on average, 38,000 deaths every year.
Ischaemic Stroke
These are the most common form of stroke, making up for around 85% of all strokes. This type of stroke occurs when an artery that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked by a blood clot.
Symptoms for ischaemic strokes include slurred speech, a drooping face, and the inability to lift the arm. These symptoms are generally temporary and reversible if treated in a timely manner. (Stroke, 2026)
Haemorrhagic Stroke
Haemorrhagic strokes make up for the other 15% of all strokes. These strokes occur when a blood vessel ruptures or bursts, causing a brain bleed, meaning that less blood gets to the surrounding brain cells, causing them to start to die off. (British Heart Foundation, 2026)
Symptoms for haemorrhagic strokes include confusion, difficulty speaking, and a sudden weakness on one side of the body. These symptoms are usually permanent.
Transient Ischaemic Stroke (TIA)
Transient ischaemic strokes, sometimes known as ‘mini strokes’ are similar to ischaemic strokes; however, their symptoms usually go away within a few minutes. If this happens, the NHS advise still getting checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible. (NHS, 2026)
Potential Risk Factors
Medical Risk Factors
There are a few health-related factors that can increase your risk of having a stroke. These include:
- If you’ve previously had a heart attack or a stroke.
- If a close relative (parent, grandparent, brother or sister) has had a stroke.
- If you have high blood pressure.
- If you have high cholesterol levels.
- If you have diabetes.
- If you have a type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation (AF) – if you have AF, the top chambers of your heart (your atria) do not pump blood through your heart as well as they should.
Lifestyle Risk Factors
You could reduce your risk of having a stroke by making some lifestyle changes. These include:
- Quitting smoking
- Staying active
- Being at a healthy weight
- Having a balanced diet
- Limiting your alcohol intake
(Stroke Association, 2026)
Strokes are affecting people at an earlier age than previously thought (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence, 2026).
If you recognise any of these symptoms, get checked out by a medical professional.
References
British Heart Foundation. (2026, April 10th). Stroke. Retrieved from British Heart Foundation: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/stroke
National Institute for Health & Care Excellence. (2026, April 10th). What is the prevalence of stroke and TIA in the UK? Retrieved from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/stroke-tia/background-information/prevalence/
NHS. (2026, April 10th). Symptoms of a stroke. Retrieved from NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stroke/symptoms/
Stroke. (2026, April 10th). Stroke signs and symptoms. Retrieved from Stroke Association: https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/symptoms
Stroke Association. (2026, April 10th). Managing risk. Retrieved from Stroke Association: https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/manage-risk
This article provides general information only and is not medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please speak to a healthcare professional.
