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Stroke Prevention
Some of the steps you can take to help prevent a stroke involve eliminating or minimizing controllable risk factors, such as having high blood pressure, smoking, and being overweight or obese. Prevention usually involves lifestyle changes, which may include quitting smoking, becoming more physically active, and preventing or managing conditions such as diabetes. Another part of prevention may involve taking medication to help prevent blood clots.
An Overview of Stroke Prevention
There is an old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is definitely the case with most strokes. A person can lower his or her chances of having a stroke by understanding stroke and the risk factors for it, and then using that knowledge to make good decisions to control stroke risk factors.
Regardless of your age, background, or health status, you can lower your risk for a stroke -- and it doesn't have to be complicated. Protecting your brain can be as simple as taking a brisk walk, whipping up a good vegetable soup, or getting the support you need to maintain a healthy weight.
And the good news: Research shows that people can lower their risk for a stroke significantly simply by adopting sensible health habits.
The steps for effective stroke prevention involve:
- Knowing your stroke risk factors
- Monitoring your health and making lifestyle changes
- Possibly taking medication or having a procedure
- Knowing signs of a stroke (see Stroke Symptoms).
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD