
illness guide -stroke



- My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.
- strokecenter.org
- Patient Voices: Stroke, NY Times Health Guide
A New York Times bestseller for good reason. The author is a brain scientist who suffered a stroke and wrote a book about the effects and her complete recovery. Learn more about Dr. Taylor in this YouTube clip.
The Internet Stroke Center is a non-profit website that provides all the basics in an organized and easy-to-read format.
The stories of seven men and women coping with the aftermath of stroke in this interactive feature from The NY Times Health Guide.
How Are Strokes Treated?
We have provided a broad strokes overview of treatments from webmd.com below. If you want more specifics concerning drugs used to dissolve blood clots or other procedures to remove clots and regain blood flow to the brain use this link to the National Stroke Association website.
Source: webmd.com
Prompt treatment of stroke and medical problems related to stroke, such as high blood sugar and pressure on the brain, may minimize brain damage and improve the chances of survival. Starting a rehabilitation program as soon as possible after a stroke increases your chances of recovering some of the abilities you lost.
Initial treatment for stroke
Initial treatment for a stroke varies depending on whether it's caused by a blood clot (ischemic) or by bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic). Before starting treatment, your doctor will use a computed tomography (CT) scan of your head and possibly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose the type of stroke you've had. Further tests may be done to find the location of the clot or bleeding and to assess the amount of brain damage. While treatment options are being determined, your blood pressure and breathing ability will be closely monitored, and you may receive oxygen.
Initial treatment focuses on restoring blood flow for an ischemic stroke or controlling bleeding for a hemorrhagic stroke. As with a heart attack, permanent damage from a stroke often occurs within the first few hours. The quicker you receive treatment, the less damage will occur.
Ischemic stroke
Emergency treatment for an ischemic stroke depends on the location and cause of the clot. Measures will be taken to stabilize your vital signs, including giving you medicines.
Hemorrhagic stroke
Initial treatment for hemorrhagic stroke is difficult. Efforts are made to control bleeding, reduce pressure in the brain, and stabilize vital signs, especially blood pressure.
Source: webmd.com
Prompt treatment of stroke and medical problems related to stroke, such as high blood sugar and pressure on the brain, may minimize brain damage and improve the chances of survival. Starting a rehabilitation program as soon as possible after a stroke increases your chances of recovering some of the abilities you lost.
Initial treatment for stroke
Initial treatment for a stroke varies depending on whether it's caused by a blood clot (ischemic) or by bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic). Before starting treatment, your doctor will use a computed tomography (CT) scan of your head and possibly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose the type of stroke you've had. Further tests may be done to find the location of the clot or bleeding and to assess the amount of brain damage. While treatment options are being determined, your blood pressure and breathing ability will be closely monitored, and you may receive oxygen.
Initial treatment focuses on restoring blood flow for an ischemic stroke or controlling bleeding for a hemorrhagic stroke. As with a heart attack, permanent damage from a stroke often occurs within the first few hours. The quicker you receive treatment, the less damage will occur.
Ischemic stroke
Emergency treatment for an ischemic stroke depends on the location and cause of the clot. Measures will be taken to stabilize your vital signs, including giving you medicines.
- If your stroke is diagnosed within 3 hours of the start of symptoms, you may be given a clot-dissolving medicine called tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), which can increase your chances of survival and recovery. But t-PA is not safe for everyone. If you have had a hemorrhagic stroke, use of t-PA would be life-threatening. Your eligibility for t-PA will be quickly assessed in the emergency room.
- You may also receive aspirin or aspirin combined with another antiplatelet medicine. But aspirin is not recommended within 24 hours of treatment with t-PA. Other medicines may be given to control blood sugar levels, fever, and seizures. In general, high blood pressure won't be treated immediately unless systolic pressure is over 220 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and diastolic is more than 120 mm Hg (220/120, which is also called 220 over 120).
Hemorrhagic stroke
Initial treatment for hemorrhagic stroke is difficult. Efforts are made to control bleeding, reduce pressure in the brain, and stabilize vital signs, especially blood pressure.

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"Health Guide: Stroke," The New York Times
"Endovascular Thrombectomy For Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke," by John P. Deveikis, MD, Endovascular Today
"Endovascular Thrombectomy For Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke," by John P. Deveikis, MD, Endovascular Today

