How can I prevent a stroke if I have migraine with aura?

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  A Dr. Dawn Marcus , Neurology, answered

  

  If you have migraine with aura, you can reduce your stroke risk by:
  

  • Keeping your weight in check
  • Controlling your blood pressure
  • Eating a low-fat diet and monitoring your blood lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides)
  • Exercising regularly
  • Avoiding smoking
  • Consider using estrogen-containing oral contraceptives as a last resort, and only after thorough discussion with your healthcare professional

  Remember, even though stroke risk increases in women with migraine with aura, the overall risk for stroke is relatively low and should not cause undue alarm. Migraine without aura is not associated with an increased risk of stroke.
  
  Aura symptoms, like prodrome symptoms, can also serve as a warning that the headache phase of a migraine will soon begin. The aura phase can give you another chance to begin your migraine treatment early, thereby minimizing or avoiding the headache phase.

  

  Find out more about this book:

  The Woman's Migraine Toolkit: Managing Your Headaches from Puberty to Menopause (A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness)
  Buy book
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