Abstract： Objective To investigate the correlation between ischemic stroke and both the risk factors and the degree of intracranial arterial stenosis, and provide evidence of preventing ischemic stroke. Methods Ninety patients with ischemic stroke were assessed by digital substraction angiography (DSA) and, accordingly, divided into group A (stenosis<30%) and group B (stenosis ≥30% or occlusion). The data about such risk factors as age, gender and family history, the levels of T-cholesterol (CHO), triacylglycerol (TG), high/low density lipoprotein cholesterin (H/LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and lipoprotein A (Lpa) were recorded and analyzed; such diseases as hypertension, hyperlipemia, diabetes mellitus and coronary disease were taken into consideration. Results The incidence rate of intracranial arterial stenosis in these patients with ischemic stroke was 67.78%. Stenosis occurred most frequently in the middle cerebral arteries, less frequently in the intracranial segments of the internal carotid artery and the vertebral-basilar artery with the lowest occurrence in the posterior cerebral artery. Patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease accompanied by high blood pressure, diabetes were more likely subjected to intracranial arterial stenosis; the regression coefficient, OR values, P values in patients with hypertension and diabetes were (1.659, 5.256 and 0.002) and (1.657, 5.241, and 0.046), respectively. The level of HDL-C (mmol/L) in the group B (0.99±0.30) was significantly lower than that in the group B (1.30±0.50, t=-3.603, P=0.001). Age, gender, smoking, stroke history, family history of cerebrovascular disease, the level of TC, TG, LDL-C, ApoA, ApoB, serum Lpa between the 2 groups showed no significant differences (P>0.05). Conclusion The major risk factors of intracranial arterial stenosis include hypertension, diabetes mellitus with HDL-C as its protective factors.