For these agents to be clinically relevant, the drug should show protection when given after the insult, have few side effects, and be easy to administer. While no neuroprotective therapy has been shown to provide significant protection, we hope to see promising results in the next few years. The primary prevention of stroke is achieved through risk factor modification, by either lifestyle changes or by medical intervention. Secondary prevention alters a disease process after it has become clinicaly apparent. However, in the context of vascular disease, the distinction between primary and secondary prevention becomes somewhat blurred.
Secondary prevention is targeted at patients whereas primary prevention is aimed at populations .
Secondary prevention generally involves treating patients who are at high risk of serious vascular events. Primary prevention largely falls in the domain of policy makers and governmental public health departments, and is concerned with interventions such as the restriction of tobacco advertising. The two approaches are complementary. While individuals at high risk may benefit greatly from a given intervention, only a small proportion of all serious vascular events occur in people at the highest risk. Most events occur among those at moderate risk.