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Age, race, gender, certain medical conditions—high blood pressure, diabetes, brain aneurysms, and heart diseases—smoking, and family history can raise your risk for a stroke.

Buildup of plaque and blood clots causing blockage of an artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain can cause an ischemic stroke, while sudden bleeding from causes such as high blood pressure can result in a hemorrhagic stroke.

The major types of stroke are ischemic (when an artery to the brain becomes blocked) and hemorrhagic (when an artery in the brain leaks blood or breaks open).

The chemicals in tobacco smoke harm your blood cells. Smoking can also damage the function of the heart and the structure and function of blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis and its complications (coronary heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmia, peripheral artery disease, and stroke).

Living with peripheral artery disease and its symptoms requires ongoing health care and heart-healthy lifestyle changes. Talk to your doctor about taking part in a supervised exercise program, maintain routine foot care and inspection for sores, and take all medicines as prescribed.

Your doctor will diagnose peripheral artery disease based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and results from one or more tests: ankle-brachial index, Doppler ultrasound, treadmill test, magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA), arteriogram, and blood tests.

Peripheral artery disease is more common in blacks than any other racial or ethnic group. The major risk factors for peripheral artery disease include smoking, older age, and diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, stroke, and metabolic syndrome.

Atherosclerosis is the main cause of PAD. Plaque buildup in the arteries is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up on the inner lining of arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, fibrous tissue, and calcium. In PAD, plaque may reduce or fully block the flow of oxygen-rich blood through arteries to the body’s vital organs and the limbs.

Peripheral artery disease happens when plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque buildup leads to atherosclerosis, which limits oxygen-rich blood flow to your organs and other parts of your body. This Health Topic focuses on peripheral artery disease that affects blood flow to the legs.

Mitral valve prolapse is a condition in which the flaps of the mitral valve are floppy, or prolapsed, which can prevent the seal from forming, which results in a backflow of blood in the left atrium as blood is pumped through the heart.

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. The term "metabolic" refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body's normal functioning.

Heart valve disease occurs if one or more of your heart valves don't work well. The heart has four valves—the tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves—that make sure blood flows in the right direction through your heart’s four chambers and to the rest of your body.

Heart failure is more common in people age 65 or older, blacks, people who are overweight, and people who have had a heart attack. Children who have congenital heart defects also can develop heart failure.

Conditions that damage or overwork the heart muscle can cause the heart to weaken, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, other heart conditions, and other factors.

A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked and the heart can’t get oxygen. If you think you or someone else may be having heart attack symptoms or a heart attack, call 9–1–1 for emergency medical care.