Stroke Prevention

If a person has already had a stroke, he or she should still take measures for stroke prevention, as another stroke could strike at any time. If a person has not had a stroke, he or she can help prevent the risk of stroke by removing certain risks from his or her daily life. Get your blood pressure checked regularly. Blood pressure can be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet, exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight. Exercise and maintaining a proper weight also helps to prevent diabetes. People who have diabetes also have a higher risk of having a stroke. Quitting smoking also helps lower the risk of stroke. Smoking affects blood pressure and the heart and can be a contributing factor to stroke risk. Atrial fibrillation, which refers to an irregular heartbeat, can cause clots that lead to stroke. Medication is prescribed to reduce the chance of clotting, thereby reducing the chance of stroke. Other things leading to stroke include high cholesterol, excessive alcohol use, and genetic risk factors. If stroke runs in a patient’s family, the patient should constantly monitor blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of stroke.