Keeping Blood Pressure Low Prevents Further Strokes

Blood pressure should be checked more often in people who have had a stroke, says a study. That’s because keeping blood pressure consistently low can reduce the risk of a second stroke. But many stroke survivors do not maintain low blood pressure (under 140/90), according to a study of nearly 3,700 stroke patients. Those who had low blood-pressure readings more than 75% of the time also reduced their chances of another stroke by 54%. And they lowered their risk for heart attack. But only one-third of study participants had low blood-pressure readings this frequently. Study authors said that people who have had a stroke need to take medications as directed and have their blood pressure checked more often. The study was published online March 27, in the journal Stroke. U.S. News and World Report wrote about it the same day.