A stroke is an interruption of the blood supply to any part of the brain. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack."
To help prevent a stroke:
- Avoid fatty foods. Follow a healthy, low-fat diet.
- Do not drink more than 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks a day.
- Exercise regularly: 30 minutes a day if you are not overweight; 60 - 90 minutes a day if you are overweight.
- Get your blood pressure checked every 1 - 2 years, especially if high blood pressure runs in your family.
- Have your cholesterol checked. If you are at high risk for stroke, your LDL "bad" cholesterol should be lower than 100 mg/dL. Your doctor may recommend that you try to reduce your LDL cholesterol to 70 mg/dL.
- Follow your doctor's treatment recommendations if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
- Quit smoking.
Aspirin therapy (81mg a day or 100mg every other day) is recommended for stroke prevention in women under 65 as long as the benefits outweigh the risks. It should be considered for women over age 65 only if their blood pressure is controlled and the benefit is greater than the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and brain hemorrhage. Ask your doctor if aspirin is right for you.
Your doctor may also recommend aspiring therapy or another blood thinner if you have had a transient ischemic attach (TIA) or stroke in the past or if you currently have:
- Congestive heart failure
- Irregular heart beat (such as atrial fibrillation)
- Mechanical heart valve
- Other risk factors for stroke
A type of surgery called carotid endarterectomy may help prevent new strokes from occurring in persons with large blockages in their neck arteries.
