After a haemorrhagic stroke, your doctor or stroke nurse should give you individual advice about ways of reducing your own risk of another stroke.

There are certain things which can make you more likely to have a haemorrhagic stroke. These are known as risk factors. Risk factors include:

Age

A haemorrhagic stroke can happen at any age, but the risk increases as you get older.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure damages the blood vessels in your brain and it can make them more likely to bleed. If you have high blood pressure,you will be offered blood pressure medication, which can help reduce your risk of another stroke.

Other things you can do to reduce your blood pressure include stopping smoking, being more active, eating less salt, and losing weight if you need to.

Our High Blood Pressure pages have more information about medication and healthy lifestyle changes.

Blood-thinning medication

Blood-thinning medication is often given to people who have had an ischaemic stroke (due to a blockage or clot), and people at risk of stroke due to a heart condition such as atrial fibrillation.

This medication can increase the risk of bleeding, including in the brain. If you have a haemorrhagic stroke while taking blood-thinning medication, doctors will assess you and help you decide if you should stop taking the medication, or change to a different type, and whether there are any other options to reduce your ischaemic stroke risk.

Do not stop taking medication without speaking to your doctor or pharmacist first, as this can put you at risk of a stroke.

Drinking large amounts of alcohol

Regularly drinking more than the recommended weekly limits for alcohol can make you more likely to have high blood pressure and increase your risk of a stroke.

Illegal drugs

Some illegal drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines can raise the risk of a haemorrhagic stroke. You can get confidential advice about drugs from the FRANK website or helpline on 0300 123 6600.