Cerebral Infarcts is the medical term for a stroke, the condition when blood supply to the brain is disrupted and the brain cells are starved of oxygen and glucose. Studies indicate that only three percent of stroke patients are aged below 40 years.

Anyone suffering a stroke loses the motor skills of one or more of their limbs. It impacts an arm, a leg, and the nerves of the face, muscles and even the power to swallow. It also causes slurring of speech and temporary or permanent immobility.

Medical causes for a stroke are pretty much the same in the young and the old. And the risk factors that could trigger it also remain the same. We provide a list of ten factors, which if avoided, will cut down the risk of a stroke by as much as 90 percent:

1) High blood pressure: Blood pressure far higher than the normal range is considered the greatest risk factor for causing stroke

2) Smoking: Tobacco use is found to play a role in 80 percent of stroke cases

3) Abdominal fat: Also called central obesity, excessive fat tissues in the abdominal region is indicative of higher levels of unhealthy cholesterol which can significantly increase the chances of a stroke

4) Unhealthy diet: Diet plays a crucial role in almost all cardiovascular problems including stroke. An unhealthy eating style and consumption of food stuff rich in fat can raise the risk

5) Lack of exercise: Lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle results in a build-up of lipids in the blood vessels which could gradually lead to a major stroke event

6) Diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes could contribute to plaque buildup in the blood vessels raising the stroke risk

7) Alcohol: Too much alcohol consumption is linked to hardening of arteries and could result in a stroke

8) Stress: Research shows that excessive stress and depression contribute significantly to cardiovascular incidents including a stroke

9) Heart disease: Certain heart problems arising out of elevated cholesterols can give rise to strokes

10) Apo lipoprotein: Apo lipoprotein B100 (apo B100), a form of low density lipoprotein (LDL) that plays a role in moving cholesterol around your body, is associated with stroke incidence