Even though high blood pressure or hypertension has been a well-established risk factor for stroke and for deaths, it turns out that having low blood pressure is just as great a risk factor for death after stroke. A new study suggests that stroke patients with low blood pressure and non-cardiovascular conditions, such as cancer and dementia, have a higher risk of death after stroke. These findings appear in the journal Stroke. The higher risk of death appeared to happen particularly in patients who were smokers, or had a diagnosis of cardiac disease, cancer or dementia. Current national guidelines recommend treating high blood pressure after stroke, but the timing of this treatment and whether to treat patients in a normal, low or mildly elevated range of blood pressures have been debated. Blood pressure below 120 mm Hg systolic and 80 mm Hg diastolic is considered to be normal. Blood pressure complications can be avoided by regulating one's lifestyle, minimizing risk factors.