Medications Commonly Prescribed After a Stroke - GoodRx https://www.goodrx.

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Home  Health Topic  Heart Health

What Medications Are Usually Prescribed After Having

a Stroke?

Written by Timothy Aungst, PharmD | Reviewed by Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Published on November 24, 2021

Key takeaways:
• Many types of strokes can happen, including ischemic strokes, hemorrhagic
strokes, and transient ischemic attacks (ministrokes). Each is treated in different
ways.

• Depending on the type of stroke you have, you may be prescribed multiple
medications to help lower your risk of having another stroke.

• How long you need to take medication to help lower your risk of having another
stroke will depend on many factors. 

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hobo_018/E+ via Getty Images

A stroke is when blood doesn't flow correctly in your brain. This prevents oxygen and
nutrients from reaching your brain cells. Those brain cells then die.

Strokes can be dangerous and cause permanent brain damage. Once this happens, you may
need physical therapy to do what you used to, like walking, speaking, or even eating. 

But even after having a stroke and recovering, you may be at risk for a future stroke. In fact, 1
in 4 stroke survivors may have another one within 5 years. Because of this risk, there’s a big
focus on preventing strokes from happening again. More likely than not, you'll be prescribed
medications to help prevent a future stroke.

Here, we’ll discuss the medications commonly prescribed after a person has had a stroke.

What medications are typically prescribed after a

stroke? 
There are several medications your healthcare provider may prescribe after you have a
stroke. These medications can help lower your risk of having one again. Which ones you’re
prescribed will depend on several factors. 

First, your healthcare provider must determine what type of stroke you had. There are three
main types of strokes:

1. Ischemic stroke: This is where a blood clot gets stuck in a blood vessel in your brain.
These clots could come from fat deposits in your blood vessels. They can also come
from your heart due to an abnormal heart rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation. 

2. Hemorrhagic stroke: This is where a blood vessel in your brain ruptures and blood builds
up in your brain.

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3. Transient ischemic attack �TIA�� This is sometimes called a ministroke. This is where
blood flow in the brain is blocked for a small amount of time and causes stroke-like
symptoms (e.g., dizziness, trouble balancing, numbness on one side of the body). 

After your healthcare provider knows what type of stroke you’ve had, they’ll look at other
health conditions you may have. Certain medical conditions raise your risk of having a stroke
again. Examples include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Your provider will need to make sure these conditions are being treated appropriately. You
may be asked to follow up with your provider later to have these conditions more closely
evaluated. However, treating these other conditions can add to the number of medications
you’re prescribed.

Everyone’s post-stroke medication regimen may be different. But there are some standard
stroke medications you may be prescribed.

Antiplatelets
Platelets are important blood cells that form clots to help stop bleeding. Usually, clotting is a
good thing; like when you have a cut on your finger, platelets help stop the bleeding. But, if
clots form and get stuck in your brain blood vessels, then a stroke can happen.

Antiplatelet medications help prevent platelets from sticking together and making clots.
There are several antiplatelet medications available. Depending on the details of your stroke,
you could be prescribed one or more antiplatelet.

Commonly prescribed antiplatelets include:

• Aspirin 

• Aspirin/dipyridamole �Aggrenox)

• Clopidogrel �Plavix)

• Ticagrelor �Brilinta)

Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants are commonly called blood thinners. These medications can also help
prevent clots from forming — but in a different way. Antiplatelets stop platelets from sticking
together. Anticoagulants stop red blood cells from sticking together.

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When you have an abnormal heart rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation, blood can get stuck in
the heart. After some time, those blood cells can start to stick together and form a blood
clot. If this clot gets pumped out of the heart, it can travel and get stuck in brain blood
vessels. This can cause a stroke.

Anticoagulants can help prevent these types of clots from forming. If your stroke was caused
by atrial fibrillation, you’ll likely be prescribed an anticoagulant medication.

Some commonly prescribed anticoagulant medications include:

• Warfarin �Coumadin, Jantoven)

• Dabigatran �Pradaxa)

• Apixaban �Eliquis)

• Rivaroxaban �Xarelto)

In rare cases, your provider may have you take both an antiplatelet and an anticoagulant.
This depends on several factors, including the type of stroke you had. 

Are there other medications you may need?

Possibly. As discussed earlier, you may need other medications depending on other
conditions you have. If you have a medical condition that raises the risk of having another
stroke, you may also be prescribed medications to help treat it. The following are commonly
used medications, but this doesn’t cover all possibilities you could face.

High blood pressure medications

High blood pressure (hypertension) can raise your risk of having a stroke. If your blood
pressure is high, you could be prescribed one or more blood pressure medications after a
stroke. If you’re already taking blood pressure medications, your healthcare provider may
change your doses or switch medications.

Blood pressure medications that may be prescribed after a stroke include:

• Thiazide diuretics (water pills), such as hydrochlorothiazide �Microzide)

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme �ACE� inhibitors, such as lisinopril �Prinivil, Zestril)

• Angiotensin II receptor blockers �ARBs), such as losartan �Cozaar) and valsartan �Diovan)

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The American Heart Association �AHA� recommends using medications to keep blood
pressure below 130/80 mmHg. Several studies suggest that keeping your blood pressure
under this number helps lower your risk of a future stroke.

High cholesterol medications

Another condition you’ll be checked for after a stroke is high cholesterol. When cholesterol is
too high, it raises your risk of a stroke. Healthcare providers keep a particularly close eye on
one type of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein �LDL, or bad cholesterol).

If your LDL is over 100 mg/dL, the AHA recommends taking atorvastatin �Lipitor) 80 mg once
a day. If you also have other heart problems, such as heart disease, you may be prescribed
atorvastatin along with another cholesterol medication called ezetimibe �Zetia). Your
healthcare provider may also recommend that you try to keep your LDL under 70 mg/dL.

Diabetes medications
Diabetes can raise your risk of a stroke. Controlling your blood sugar helps lower this risk. If
you have uncontrolled diabetes, your healthcare provider may change your current diabetes
medication regimen after having a stroke. There are many different types of diabetes
medications and treatments available. Speak with your healthcare provider to discuss the
best way for you to treat this condition.

How long do you have to take medication after having

a stroke?
This depends on many factors. The most important thing to know about strokes is that there
are many types of them. Strokes can have several different causes and happen in different
parts of your brain. Your provider will do a lot of tests before setting up a treatment plan for
you. This plan will likely include lifestyle changes and medication for a period of time.

You may need to take some medications only for a few months. Other medications may need
to be taken for years after a stroke. It’s also possible that some people will stay on certain
medications long term. Make sure to go for any tests your healthcare provider recommends.
These tests will help them decide how long you should continue taking your medications.

If you’ve been prescribed medications for other health conditions, like diabetes, you may
take them long term. These other conditions are typically chronic and often require life-long

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treatment.

What happens if you stop taking post-stroke

medications?
If you stop taking your post-stroke medications without your healthcare provider’s OK, it can
raise your risk of having another stroke. Don’t stop taking your medications unless your
healthcare provider tells you to do so. If you’re experiencing bothersome side effects, let
your healthcare provider know. They may suggest ways to lessen these side effects without
completely stopping your medications.

The bottom line

Strokes can be very scary, and many people wonder what they need to do after having
one. Medications play a large role in helping to lower your risk of having another stroke.
What medications your provider will prescribe for you will depend on the type of stroke
you had and other health conditions you may have. It’s important to take your
medications as prescribed to help lower the risk of another stroke.

References
American Diabetes Association. �2021�. Stroke.

American Heart Association. �2016�. Atrial fibrillation medications.

View All References �14� 

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations,
governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about
how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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