General Guidelines for the Management of Stroke

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and should be considered as a medical emergency. It is caused by obstruction of blood flow to the brain and neurons. It is of two types namely ischemic and hemorrhagic. The major risk factors of stroke are hypertension, cardiac diseases, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. ABCD2 score is used to predict the risk of incidence of stroke after a transient ischemic attack. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are generally used to detect areas of ischemia and bleeding in brain. Tissue plasminogen activator and aspirin are the preferred first line treatment options for treating ischemic stroke while hemorrhagic stroke has no standard therapy. Regular physician visits and clinical check-ups reduce the chance of occurrence of secondary stroke.