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Diabetes is a condition caused by too much sugar in your blood. Having diabetes almost doubles your risk of stroke.

Diabetes means you have too much sugar in your blood and this can make you twice as likely to have a stroke. But it’s important to remember that you can live well with diabetes, and reduce your risk of having a stroke if you follow advice and treatment.

A stroke can happen to anyone. But many of the things we do in everyday life such as smoking, drinking alcohol or being physically inactive, along with health problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, or being overweight, can increase your stroke risk.

Smoking, drinking alcohol, being physically inactive and sitting for long periods, can contribute to high blood pressure, diabetes, and being an unhealthy weight, all of which increase your risk of stroke. You can start to reduce your risk of stroke by making small changes to your lifestyle this Stroke Prevention Day.

After a stroke or transient ischaemic attack, you can’t drive for a minimum of one calendar month. Here’s how to find out what you need to do next.

A transient ischaemic attack, TIA, or mini-stroke, is the same as a stroke, but the symptoms last a short time. A TIA is a warning that you are at risk of having a stroke.

You may wish to fast for personal or religious reasons. Is it safe to fast after a stroke?

Being overweight increases your risk of having a stroke. So it’s very important to try to maintain a healthy weight.

A stroke can sometimes cause changes to your taste and smell. Things can taste different or taste bad (dysgeusia) or you may not taste flavours (hypogeusia or ageusia). Some people lose the sense of smell (anosmia) or become more sensitive to smells (hyperosmia). These problems often improve over time, and our guide gives some practical tips about oral hygiene and enjoying your food.