Both primary and secondary stroke prevention are vital to reducing strokes, TIA and other vascular diseases. The key targets all countries and health systems should aim to achieve by 2030 for primary and secondary prevention, as created as part of the Stroke Action Plan for Europe, are as follows:

Primary prevention¹

The Stroke Action Plan for Europe sets out four targets for primary prevention for 2030:

1. Achieve universal access to primary preventive treatment through improved and better-personalised risk prediction.
2. Implement legislation and national strategies for multi-sectorial public health interventions that address the prevalent risk factors for stroke (e.g. smoking, sugar, salt, alcohol, polluted air) by promoting, educating and campaigning for a healthy lifestyle, and by reducing environmental, socioeconomic and educational determinants.
3. Make available evidence-based screening and treatment programmes for stroke risk factors in all European countries.
4. Detect and control high blood pressure in 80% of persons with hypertension.

Secondary stroke prevention¹

The Stroke Action Plan for Europe outlines four core targets to achieve by 2030:

1. Include secondary prevention in national stroke plans with follow-up in primary/community care.
2. Ensure that at least 90% of the stroke population is seen by a stroke specialist and has access to secondary prevention management (investigation and treatment).
3. Ensure access to key investigations: CT (or MR) scanning, carotid ultrasound scanning, ECG, echocardiography and blood tests (lipids, glucose, HbA1cand others).
4. Ensure that everyone who has a stoke or TIA can access key preventative strategies: lifestyle advice, antihypertensives, lipid lowering agents, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, oral hypoglycaemic agents and insulin, carotid endarterectomy and PFO closure.