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Although significant efforts are being made to improve the treatment of risk factors for stroke as well as secondary stroke, first or recurrent strokes continue to occur. It has been shown that acute treatment, especially in stroke units, significantly improves outcomes and lowers mortality after stroke.
The main risk factor for a stroke is a prior stroke. Degenerative
processes and events in the walls of vessels supplying the brain may lead to a recurrent stroke. Patients at high risk of a second stroke should therefore immediately receive preventive treatment.
The vascular pathobiology of ischaemic stroke is highly variable. Beyond platelet inhibition, various antithrombotic mechanisms in the cerebrovascular microenvironment are now considered as possible targets for reducing ischaemic stroke.
This chapter gives an overview of important studies and publications concerning acute stroke treatment and secondary
prevention of stroke.
References:
Stroke Units Trialists' Collaboration BMJ 1997; 314 (7088): 1151-1159. |
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© 2005 Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Germany. All rights reserved.
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