Stroke rehabilitation can help patients to regain some of the physical and mental skills lost as a result of injuries associated with the stroke. However, about 14 percent of stroke survivors will experience a second stroke in the year after the first stroke, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

For this reason, it is important that stroke patients take steps to help prevent future strokes. Factors known to increase the risk for a second stroke include:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High blood cholesterol levels
• History of transient ischemic attack (TIA)
• Obesity
• Older age
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking