Medication adherence is a prevalent issue surrounding recurrent stroke prevention. Over 50 percent of aging patients on multiple prescription medications admit that they forget to take their medications at varying degrees, with some patients habitually missing their medications. Many patients also admit to not taking their medications exactly as prescribed. Taking medications as prescribed is central to recovery post-stroke and recurrent stroke prevention.

Ask Your Healthcare Professional or Pharmacist:

• What is the medicine’s name and what is it for?
• When and how do I take this medicine?
• What are the possible side effects?
• When should I expect the medicine to start working?
• Will the medicine interact with any of my other medicines?
• Is it okay to take this medicine with my supplements (e.g., vitamins, omega-3, etc.)?
• What should my medicine look like?
• What do I do if I forget my dose?
• What are the repercussions if I stop taking this medicine altogether?
• Besides time of day, is there anything else I should know about taking my meds (e.g., on a full stomach, with milk, etc.)?
• Are there foods I need to avoid when taking this medicine?

» Download a printer-friendly version of these questions.

One of the best ways to manage your medications is stay organized with a medication tracker. Download, print and personalize the Medication Tracker.

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 PDF Version  | Word Version

Generic Name

Brand Name

Assistance Program

 Class

Condition It Treats

Atorvastatin calcium

Lipitor^®

Pfizer

Statin

High cholesterol

Baclofen

Kemstro™, Gablofen^®, Lioresal^®

Medtronic Inc. (Contact information only)

GABA receptor antagonist

Spasticity

OnabotulinumtoxinA

Botox^®

Allergan

Neurotoxin

Upper limb spasticity and incontinence

Dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate

Nuedexta™

Avanir

Miscellaneous central nervous system agent

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA)

Persantine^®

Boehringer Ingelheim

Antiplatelet

Prevents blood clots

Aspirin/Extended-release dipyridamole

Aggrenox^®

Boehringer Ingelheim

Antiplatelet

Prevents blood clots

Clopidogrel bisulfate

Plavix^®

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Antiplatelet

Prevents blood clots

Dabigatran etexilate

Pradaxa^®

Boehringer Ingelheim

Anticoagulant

Atrial fibrillation (Afib)

Losartan potassium

Cozaar^®

Merck

Angiotensin II receptor antagonist

High blood pressure

Rosuvastatin calcium

Crestor^®

AstraZeneca

Statin

High cholesterol

Telmisartan

Micardis^®

Boehringer Ingelheim

Angiotensin II receptor antagonist

High blood pressure

Ticlopidine hydrochloride

Ticlid^®

Roche Laboratories

Antiplatelet

Prevents blood clots

Alteplase

Activase^®—Also known as tPA (tissue plasminogen activator)

Genentech

Thrombolytics

Breaks down blood clots

Warfarin

Coumadin^®, Jantoven^®, Marevan^®

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Anticoagulant

Prevents blood clots

Drug Class

What They Do

Examples

Anticoagulants

Reduce the risk of blood clots and prevent existing blood clots from getting bigger by thinning the blood

Heparin^®, Pradaxa^®, Coumadin^®

Antiplatelets

Prevent platelets (blood cells) from sticking together

Plavix^®, Aggrenox^®, Persantine^®, Ticlid^®

Angiotensin II receptor antagonists

Block angiotensin II, a chemical that triggers muscle contraction around blood vessels, narrowing them. By inhibiting the chemical, blood vessels can enlarge and blood pressure is reduced.

Micardis^®, Cozaar^®, Hyzaar^® 

GABA (gamma-Amino butyric acid) receptor antagonists

Inhibit the action of GABA, which inhibits neurotransmitters and regulates the nervous system.

Kemstro™, Gablofen^®, Lioresal^®

Miscellaneous central nervous system agents

Affect physiological and psychological processes in the central nervous system

Nuedexta™

Neurotoxins

Interact with proteins in nerves to relax muscles

Botox^®

Statins

Lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme in the blood that produces cholesterol in the liver

Lipitor^®, Crestor^®, Zocor^®, Mevacor^®, Lescol^®

Thrombolytics

Break up blood clots 

Activase^®

Download the Medication Adherence Brochure, which explains the importance of taking medications as prescribed, management strategies and the kinds of stroke-related medications.

» Download this brochure

Watch iHOPE:Medication Adherence and Compliance to gain strategies for promoting stroke recovery by using a medication plan.

» View this webinar

Download the iHOPE: Medication Adherence and Compliance Webinar Discussion Guide to help moderate conversation after watching the iHOPE webinar.

PDF | Word version