Recovery and Risk Reduction to Prevent a Second Stroke

The steps you take after your stroke are important to you achieving the best possible recovery and independence.

Treatment to Maximize Recovery

Several types of therapy may help you recover from your stroke. And some of the effects of stroke may be treatable during your recovery. Visit Life After Stroke to learn more.

Reducing Risk of Another Stroke

After having a stroke, your risks are much higher for having another one. But you can lower your chance when you:

• Adopt healthy lifestyle habits.
• Control key risk factors, including high blood pressure, smoking and atrial fibrillation.
• Take medication to:
  • Lower high blood pressure. (More than half of strokes are caused by high blood pressure, making it the most significant risk factor to control.)
  • Manage atrial fibrillation.
  • Reduce the chances of forming a clot. (Antiplatelet agents or anticoagulants, such as warfarin, interfere with the blood's ability to clot and can play an important role in preventing stroke.)
• Have procedures to remove plaque buildup or open blockages.