1. Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes
One of the most important things you should do after a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is to quit smoking. Daily consumption of nicotine and carcinogens can more than double your risk of stroke. Regular contact with secondhand smoke puts you at higher risk for a stroke, too, so avoid spending time around friends and relatives when they light up.
Your doctor will probably want to discuss your eating habits, and may put you on a diet if you are overweight. Obesity puts you at greater risk for hypertension, diabetes and cardiac stress. Lowering your sodium levels and saturated fats can also stave off high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries that may lead to additional TIAs or strokes.
Starting (or continuing) an exercise program is an essential part of maintaining your overall health, and also lowers TIA danger significantly. Raising your heart rate for 30 minutes, four to five times a week, helps alleviate stress and improve blood flow. You'll also be staving off heart disease and diabetes, which put you at an even higher risk for TIAs and stroke activity. If you can't fit 30 minutes of consistent cardiovascular work into your day, break it up by taking the stairs, going for a 10-minute walk at lunch or speed walking through the mall before shopping.
2. Take Medications to Regulate the Blood
After you've had a TIA, your doctor may prescribe medications that will lower your risk of a secondary stroke. Antiplatelets prevent blood platelets from becoming overly sticky, and anticoagulants inhibit the protein production that causes clotting. It's important to remember that these drugs increase your bleeding risk, so make sure you have your blood carefully monitored to prevent serious bleeding problems.
If you present with high blood pressure or high cholesterol, your doctor may also place you on antihypertensives or statins to control these two conditions. Studies indicate that using these drugs to control hypertension or high cholesterol levels can decrease your chances of having a stroke, especially if you've already experienced a TIA.
3. Undergo Angioplasty or a Carotid Endarterectomy
When you have a TIA, it usually means that a clot or plaque has blocked a small cranial artery, preventing proper blood flow to the brain. Warning you that a stroke may soon occur, a TIA may be an indicator that you need a surgical procedure to prevent further ischemic attacks. To improve arterial blood flow, your doctor may recommend angioplasty. During this procedure, he will insert a catheter into an artery, and use it to inflate a balloon in areas that are narrowed. You may need angioplasty in more than one artery, and the doctor may implant a stent to avoid future blockage at the obstructed sites.
Another common procedure for decreasing your risk of stroke is a carotid endarterectomy. This safe, routine surgical option removes dangerous plaque in your carotid arteries and lowers your chance of a pending stroke. Plaque and diseased tissue are removed through a small arterial incision. The procedure is relatively painless due to the minimal incision size, but you may need to stay in the hospital for observation and fluid replacement after the surgery.
