STROKE (BRAIN ATTACK) - William A. Tosches, MD; Michael Previti, MD3

STROKE (BRAIN ATTACK) - William A. Tosches, MD; Michael Previti, MD

GENERAL PREVENTION

· Stop smoking.

· Control BP, diabetes, hyperlipidemia.

· Use alcohol in moderation, if at all.

· Exercise regularly.

· Maintain positive psychologic outlook.

· Seek professional dietary advice on weight control.

· Antiplatelet drugs

· Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

· Statins

· Treat homocystinemia with vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid.

· Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation should be treated with dose-adjusted heparin to achieve an INR of 2-3 to prevent stroke. (1)[A]

· Women >45 years on ASA 100 mg/d have decreased risk of ischemic stroke and TIA but increased risk of GI bleed needing transfusion. (2)[B]