"Fatores Preditivos Do Acidente Vascular Cerebral: Uma Revisão Integrativa"

Introduction: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally, with a worrying increase of 70% in incidence, 85% in prevalence and 43% in mortality in the last three decades. This growth is especially notable in low- and middle-income countries, where mortality rates are much higher than in high-income countries. Objective: The study aims to analyze the causes and risk factors associated with stroke through an integrative review, identifying predictive factors and biological, behavioral and environmental variables that influence its incidence. Methodology: this is a literature review that analyzes the main risk factors for stroke based on articles from the last 10 years, available in English and Portuguese in the PubMed, SciELO and VHL databases. Results and Discussion: High blood pressure is the most significant modifiable factor, as it affects all cerebral arteries and increases the risk of stroke. Dyslipidemia, with high levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, contributes to atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of ischemic stroke. Diabetes mellitus causes damage to blood vessels. Smoking and the use of hormonal contraceptives are also important risk factors, as they damage arteries and promote the formation of clots. Furthermore, migraine, especially with aura, is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke due to vasospasms and neuronal hyperexcitability. Conclusion: This study highlighted high blood pressure, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus as the main risk factors for stroke. Smoking and the use of hormonal contraceptives were also highlighted as significant contributors to stroke risk. The adoption of control measures and educational actions to manage these factors is essential to reduce the incidence of stroke and its serious consequences.