Hypertension tops the list, followed by high blood lipids, inactivity, abdominal obesity and smoking; targeted prevention programs suggested.

The research, published in Friday’s edition of The Lancet, found that high blood pressure poses by far the greatest risk, but that smoking, obesity (particularly around the belly), inactivity and stress can also pose significant dangers. A large percentage of people who suffered ischemic stroke also had high levels of lipids (or fat) in their blood, as measured by a test known as the ApoB:ApoA1 ratio.

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