| Stroke Treatment |
| Acute hospital care, drugs, surgery and rehabilitation are all accepted ways to treat stroke. It is important that the patient seeks treatment early. Acute hospital care depends upon the state of the patient, level of consciousness, extent of damage to the brain cells. |
| Surgery may be needed when a neck artery has become partially blocked. Surgery might be used to remove the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque. This is called Carotid endarterectomy. |
| Cerebral angioplasty is a new, experimental technique. Balloons, stents and coils are used to treat some types of cerebral vascular problems. Its widespread use will require further study of safety and effectiveness. |
| Tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) This is a major advance in medical therapy because physicians now have an approved treatment for acute strokes caused by blood clots, which constitute 80 percent of all strokes. A risk of bleeding in the brain accompanies use of the drug. However, that risk is outweighed by its benefits when an experienced doctor uses it properly. Not every stroke patient should receive TPA treatment. TPA is effective only if given promptly. For maximum benefit, the therapy must be started within three hours after the onset of a stroke. |
| Treating heart disease? Sometimes treating a stroke means treating the heart, because various forms of heart diseases can contribute to the risk of stroke. For example, damaged heart valves may need to be surgically treated or treated with anti-clotting drugs to reduce the chance of clots forming around them. Blood clots can also form in patients with Atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). If clots form, there’s a chance they could travel to the brain and cause a stroke. |
| Stroke |
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