A Couple of Preventive Measures For Stroke

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recommends measures to avoid a second or subsequent stroke: Treat metabolic syndrome and undergo carotid angioplasty.

Patients who have had a stroke or TIA are at high risk of having another one.

Ischemic strokes account for about 87% of all strokes. They are caused by a lack of blood to the brain.

Treatment for metabolic syndrome includes changes in diet and exercise to lower blood pressure and high cholesterol.

If safe, patients should undergo angioplasty and stenting in the carotid artery as well as take other measures to reduce chances of recurrence.

Even though the finding may not be conclusive, a new research review reported that "downing a few drinks (3-4 standard drinks) or contracting an infection such as the flu seem to be connected to a short-term spike in the risk of stroke" by as much as 2 - 4 times.