Following a TIA (transient ischemic attack) or stroke, during the first three years there is a drop in the risk of new vascular complications such as heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease.
However, after this period the risk rises again, to around 7 percent a year. This is contained in the doctoral thesis of Iris van Wijk, in which she studied the health of 2,473 people who had suffered minor strokes.
Paying less attention to lifestyle factors (smoking, physical activity, healthy eating patterns) and taking medicines less regularly probably account for the increase. The quality of life of long-term survivors of a TIA or minor stroke is not much different from that of the general elderly population.
Iris van Wijk: "TIA and Stroke: the long-term perspective"