Prevention. To avoid strokes, people should have their blood pressure checked frequently. Those with elevated blood pressure should take measures to bring down their blood pressure by changing their diet or by taking medication, as directed by their doctor. In many people with atherosclerosis or irregular heartbeats, doctors prescribe taking aspirin daily to help prevent stroke. Doctors also prescribe a drug called ticlopidine.

Drugs called anticoagulants thin the blood and can help prevent strokes in patients with certain types of heart disease. Patients with severe atherosclerosis and narrowing of the large arteries, especially the carotid arteries in the neck, may benefit from a surgical procedure called carotid endarterectomy. This procedure removes the hardened inner lining of the carotid arteries, allowing blood to flow freely and preventing the formation of clots in the arteries.