ABC of arterial and venous disease. Acute stroke.

Acute stroke is now a treatable condition that deserves urgent specialist attention. Drug treatment and specialist care both influence survival and recovery. This article considers the optimal approaches to diagnosis and early management. Stroke, a sudden neurological deficit of presumed vascular origin, is a clinical syndrome rather than a single disease. It is a common and devastating condition that causes death in one third of patients at six months and leaves another third permanently dependent on the help of others. Each year in the United Kingdom there are 110 000 first strokes and 30 000 recurrent strokes; 10 000 strokes occur in people younger than 65 and 60 000 people die of stroke. It is the largest cause of disability, and more than five per cent of NHS and social services resources are consumed by stroke patients. Correct management relies on rapid diagnosis and treatment, thorough investigation, and rehabilitation.