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What Prevents a Stroke? |
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For some people, stroke prevention may begin after a transient
ischemic attack, or TIA. A TIA is a warning sign that a stroke may
soon occur. Prompt medical attention may help prevent a stroke.
Seek emergency medical help immediately if you have symptoms of a TIA,
which are similar to those of a stroke and include problems with vision, speech,
behavior, and thought processes. A TIA may cause loss of consciousness, seizure,
dizziness, vertigo and weakness or numbness on one side of the body. Symptoms
of a TIA are temporary and usually disappear after 10 to 20 minutes,
although they may last up to 24 hours.
Many strokes
can be prevented by controlling risk factors and treating other medical
conditions that can lead to a stroke.
- If you have been told that you have hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis,
check with your doctor about whether you should take an aspirin each day
and/or a medication to lower your cholesterol. Taking an aspirin daily can
also reduce the risk of stroke in a person who has already had an ischemic
stroke,
a TIA, or carotid
endarterectomy surgery.
- If your doctor hears a swishing sound - a bruit -
when listening to blood flow through the large blood vessels in your neck
(carotid
arteries), ask whether you need further testing (usually carotid ultrasonography).
Taking an aspirin daily or considering surgery to reopen a blocked carotid
artery may be appropriate.
A relatively new procedure called carotid
artery stenting is another option for some people at high risk of stroke.
This procedure is much like coronary angioplasty, which is commonly used
to open blocked arteries in the heart. During this procedure, a vascular
surgeon inserts a metal tube called a stent inside
your carotid artery to increase blood flow in areas blocked by plaque. The
surgeon may use a stent that is coated
with medication to help prevent future blockage.
 Click to see an example of a stent
Illustration copyright 2003 by Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com
close this example
A stent is a small, coiled wire-mesh tube that can be inserted into a blood
vessel and expanded using a small balloon during a procedure called angioplasty.
A stent is used to open a narrowed or clotted blood vessel, most often an
artery in the heart.
Other ways you can control your risk factors include:
- Have regular medical checkups. Work with your doctor to control your high
blood pressure. This is important if you also have diabetes.
- Become more active. A new large study shows that physical activity
significantly lowers your risk of stroke, partly by reducing the two greatest
risk factors
for stroke: high blood pressure and heart disease. The more physically active
you are, the greater the reduction in risk. Exercise can
also help raise HDL,
or good cholesterol levels in your body, reducing the risk of stroke.
- Control high
cholesterol, heart disease (atrial
fibrillation), diabetes or disorders that affect your blood vessels,
such as coronary
artery disease.
- Do not smoke. If you do smoke, quit. Daily cigarette smoking
increases the risk of stroke by 2½ times.
- Take cholesterol-lowering medications called statins if
you have high cholesterol or have had a heart attack, TIA, or stroke.
Other ways you may be able to decrease your risk for stroke include:
- Take an aspirin if you have had a heart attack.
- Take anticoagulants,
as prescribed by your doctor, if you have atrial fibrillation or have had
a heart attack with other complications.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk
of developing high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes, which are
risk factors
for TIA and stroke.
- Eat a nutritious, balanced diet low in cholesterol, saturated
fats and salt. Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can worsen hardening
of the arteries. Eating more fruits
and vegetables increases your intake of potassium and vitamins B,
C, E and riboflavin. Adding whole grains to your diet may greatly reduce
the risk of ischemic stroke, women in particular. Eating fish once a month
or more may also reduce your risk of stroke.
- Limit your alcohol. Low to moderate alcohol consumption (from 1
drink per week to less than 2 drinks per day) may decrease the risk of ischemic
stroke.
Excessive use of alcohol (more than 2 drinks per day) increases a person's
risk of stroke.
- Avoid cocaine and other illegal drugs. Cocaine can increase blood
pressure and cause the heart to beat more rapidly, thereby increasing your
risk of stroke.
- Avoid birth control pills if you have other risk factors. If you
smoke or have high cholesterol or a history of blood clots, taking birth
control
pills increases your risk of having a stroke.
- Avoid hormone
replacement therapy. In women who have gone through menopause,
hormone replacement therapy has been shown to slightly increase the risk
of stroke.
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