 do tend to be more severe than strokes with other underlying causes. Now, some things we know raise your risk. Getting older, being overweight, having high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, smoking, alcohol. But according to a large new study out of the UK, drinking two or more liters of sugar-sweetened beverages a week raises your risk by 10%. And drinking the same amount of artificially sweetened beverages raises your risk by 20%.