Treatment for Strokes

Conditions & Diseases: Brain & Nervous System

Strokes

Unfortunately, there is no treatment option that can cure a stroke, but it can minimize the brain damage, improve the survival chance, prevent future strokes, and improve the patient's life. The initial intervention focuses on restoring the blood flow for an ischemic stroke or stopping the bleeding for a hemorrhagic stroke.

The treatment approach differs from patient to patient, and it depends on the type of stroke.

Ischemic stroke treatment

Patients that suffered an ischemic stroke receive thrombolytic therapy (or clot-buster medication) if the stroke was diagnosed in the first three hours after the first stroke symptoms occured. Clot-buster medication is considered the first-line treatment for an ischemic stroke because of it's high rate of efficiency. Some of the anti-clotting or anti-platelet medication includes:

1) Tissue plasminogen activator t-PA - is prescribed in the first three hours and it works by dissolving the blood clots,

2) Aspirin - decreases blood clot formation and prevents small blood clots from sticking together, or

3) Aspirin combined with other anti-platelet medication.

Another treatment option available for some ischemic stroke patients is surgery. Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure that can treat or prevent ischemic strokes by removing fatty deposits from one of the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain. This procedure restores the normal blood flow to the brain.

Hemorrhagic stroke treatment

A hemorrhagic stroke is associated with high death rates. The main concern is to locate the hemorrhage, control the bleeding, reduce pressure in the brain, and stabilize vital signs. This can be done either with medication, or surgery. However, there is no medical consensual as to which approach is best.

The surgical approach focuses on locating the bleeding site and stopping the hemorrhage. However, surgery can be performed when the bleeding can be easily reached, and the patient does not suffer from other medical complications. Surgery can also be performed to remove the blood clot (hematoma). However, this type of surgery can be performed when both of the following criteria are met: (1) the size of hematoma ranges from moderate to large, and (2) the patient is awake or conscious.

Medication can be another treatment approach for hemorrhagic stroke patients. Medication can be prescribed to control blood pressure, brain swelling, blood sugar level, fever, and seizure.

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com
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Page Last Modified:
12/04/2010