30/1/2017 StrokeTreatments

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WARNINGSIGNS ABOUTSTROKE LIFEAFTERSTROKE STROKECONNECTIONMAGAZINE PROFESSIONALS SHOP SUPPORT GIVING NEWS ADVOCATE

Understanding Stroke StrokeIn TogethertoEnd AmericanStroke

TypesofStroke EffectsofStroke Risk Preventionand Treatment Children Stroke Month
BrainHealth

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Astrokeoccurswhenavesselinthebrainrupturesorisblockedbyabloodclot.Strokemedicaltreatmentsworkto
eitheropentheblockageortreattherupture.Medicaladvanceshavegreatlyimprovedsurvivalratesfromstroke
treatmentsduringthelastdecade.Butthechancesofsurvivalareevenbetterifthestrokeisidentifiedandtreated
immediately.Thissectionwilloutlinesomepossiblewaystopreventandtreatastroke.

StrokePrevention
WhenaStrokeOccurs:QuickStrokeTreatmentCanSaveLives
IschemicStrokeTreatment
IschemicStrokeTreatmentInfograhic:BustingClotstoSaveLives
HemorrhagicStrokeTreatment

StrokePrevention

Thegoodnewsisthat80percentofallstrokesare CryptogenicStrokePatientGuide
preventable.Itstartswithmanagingkeyriskfactors,
includinghighbloodpressure,cigarettesmoking,atrial
fibrillationandphysicalinactivity.Morethanhalfofallstrokes
arecausedbyuncontrolledhypertensionorhighblood
pressure,makingitthemostimportantriskfactortocontrol.

Medicaltreatmentsmaybeusedtocontrolhighblood
pressureand/ormanageatrialfibrillationamonghighrisk
patients.Thosemedicinesinclude:

Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets
Antiplateletagentssuchasaspirinandanticoagulants,suchaswarfarin,interferewiththeblood'sabilityto
clotandcanplayanimportantroleinpreventingstroke.Readmoreaboutanticoagulants.

Antihypertensives
Antihypertensivesaremedicationsthattreathighbloodpressure.Dependingonthetypeofmedication, FindStrokeCareNearYou
theycanlowerbloodpressurebyopeningthebloodvessels,decreasingbloodvolumeordecreasingthe
rateand/orforceofheartcontraction.Learnaboutthetypesofantihypertensives.

Additionally,whenarteriesshowplaquebuilduporblockage,medicalproceduresmaybeneeded.Suchas:

CarotidEndarterectomy
Carotidendarterectomy,alsocalledcarotidarterysurgery,isaprocedureinwhichbloodvesselblockage
(fattyplaque)issurgicallyremovedfromthecarotidartery.
Viewadetailedillustrationofcarotidendarterectomy(opensinnewwindow).

Angioplasty/Stents
Doctorssometimesuseballoonangioplastyandimplantablesteelscreenscalledstentstotreat
cardiovasculardiseaseandhelpopenuptheblockedbloodvessel.
Findyourneareststrokecertifiedhospital

WhenaStrokeOccurs:QuickStrokeTreatmentCanSaveLives
UpdatedGuidelinesforAcuteIschemic
Ifyourehavingastroke,itscriticalthatyougetmedical Strokes
attentionrightaway.Immediatetreatmentmayminimizethe
longtermeffectsofastrokeandpreventdeath.

Therearetwotypesofstrokes:hemorrhagicorischemic.An
ischemicstrokeoccursasaresultofanobstructionwithina
bloodvesselsupplyingbloodtothebrain.Itaccountsfor87
percentofallstrokecases.Ahemorrhagicstrokeoccurs
whenaweakenedbloodvesselrupturesandspillsblood
intobraintissue.Themostcommoncausefortheruptureis
uncontrolledhypertension(highbloodpressure).Thereare
twoothertypesofweakenedbloodvesselsthatalsocause
hemorrhagicstroke:aneurysmsandarteriovenous
malformations(AVMs).Treatmentdiffersdependingonthe
typeofstroke.
Infographic:AttackingBrainClotstoSaveLives
IschemicStrokeTreatment

tPA,theGoldStandard PopularArticles
TheonlyFDAapprovedtreatmentforischemicstrokesistissueplasminogenactivator(tPA,alsoknownasIVrtPA,
giventhroughanIVinthearm).tPAworksbydissolvingtheclotandimprovingbloodflowtothepartofthebrain 1TIA(TransientIschemicAttack)

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30/1/2017 StrokeTreatments
beingdeprivedofbloodflow.Ifadministeredwithin3
2WhatYouShouldKnowAboutCerebral
hours(andupto4.5hoursincertaineligiblepatients),tPA
Aneurysms
mayimprovethechancesofrecoveringfromastroke.A
significantnumberofstrokevictimsdontgettothe
hospitalintimefortPAtreatmentthisiswhyitsso 3StrokeTreatments
importanttoidentifyastrokeimmediately.
4IschemicStrokes(Clots)
EndovascularProcedures
Anothertreatmentoptionisanendovascularprocedure* 5HemorrhagicStrokes(Bleeds)
calledmechanicalthrombectomy,strongly
recommended,inwhichtraineddoctorstryremovinga 615ThingsCaregiversShouldKnowAftera
largebloodclotbysendingawiredcageddevicecalled Stentretrievingdeviceusedtoremovelargeclots* LovedOneHasHadaStroke
astentretriever,tothesiteoftheblockedbloodvesselin
thebrain.Toremovethebrainclot,doctorsthreada 7WhatIsanArteriovenousMalformation
catheterthroughanarteryinthegroinuptotheblockedarteryinthebrain.Thestentopensandgrabstheclot, (AVM)?
allowingdoctorstoremovethestentwiththetrappedclot.Specialsuctiontubesmayalsobeused.Theprocedure
shouldbedonewithinsixhoursofacutestrokesymptoms,andonlyafterapatientreceivestPA. 8TypesofAphasia

*Note:Patientsmustmeetcertaincriteriatobeeligibleforthisprocedure. 9LearnMoreStrokeWarningSignsand
Symptoms
ImagecourtesyofMedtronic
10BrainStemStroke
HemorrhagicStrokeTreatment

EndovascularProcedures
Endovascularproceduresmaybeusedtotreatcertainhemorrhagicstrokessimilartothewaytheprocedureis
usedfortreatinganischemicstroke.Theseproceduresarelessinvasivethansurgicaltreatments,andinvolvethe
useofacatheterintroducedthroughamajorarteryinthelegorarm,thenguidedtotheaneurysmorAVMitthen
depositsamechanicalagent,suchasacoil,topreventrupture.

SurgicalTreatment
Forstrokescausedbyableedwithinthebrain(hemorrhagicstroke),orbyanabnormaltangleofbloodvessels
(AVM),surgicaltreatmentmaybedonetostopthebleeding.Ifthebleediscausedbyarupturedaneurysm
(swellingofthevesselthatbreaks),ametalclipmaybeplacedsurgicallyatthebaseoftheaneurysmtosecureit.

RelatedLinks:

Relatedstrokesurvivorstories
Patientinformationsheets
Guidelinesurgenewapproachtotreatingworststrokes
Clotremovingdevicesprovidebetteroutcomesforstrokesurvivors
Learnmoreaboutstroke

ClinicalTrials

Medicaltreatmentscontinuetoevolveandimprove,thanksinparttoclinicaltrials(research).Thesearescientific
studiesthatdetermineifapossiblenewmedicaladvancecanhelppeopleandwhetherithasharmfulsideeffects.
FindanswerstocommonquestionsaboutclinicaltrialsinourGuidetoUnderstandingClinicalTrials.

Thiscontentwaslastreviewedon05/23/13.

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