Know Your Options For The Prevention of Stroke
If you are at risk of getting a stroke or youve experience stroke
or TIA before, it is a good idea that you consult your physician about
it. Inquire if you could get the various tests to diagnose or screen
your risk of getting a stroke. Screen or diagnostic tests would also
give you an idea what kind of stroke you had and what was the root
cause of your stroke.
Ways to Diagnose Stroke
Stroke prevention physicians or healthcare givers adopt various examinations or tests to screen or diagnose stroke or TIA. These tests include:
a. Physical examination. Physicians would often check if you are at
risk of getting a stroke. People who are at risk for stroke are those
people diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol or
elevated amino acid homocysteine levels. The physician may also listen
to irregular or abnormal heart beats and sounds.
b. Laboratory
tests. There are various laboratory procedures that screen out patients
and give diagnostic laboratory results. Some of these laboratory tests
include carotid ultrasonography, arteriography, computerized tomography
(CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography.
What are the Different Stroke Treatments?
It is very important that people receive prompt treatment for stroke.
Treatment, however, would depend on the kind of stroke. There are two
kinds of stroke and they are caused by different factors. The stroke
treatment, therefore, would differ as well.
To treat ischemic
stroke, the physician would have to remove obstructions in the brain in
order to restore the brains normal blood flow. Once a person shows
symptoms of ischemic stroke, clot removal drugs would have to be given
to the patient intravenously within three hours. Prompt stroke
treatment would give the patient better chances of recovery.
Preventive medications are also given
especially if the patient has already suffered a stroke. These
medications include anti-platelet drugs and anticoagulants.
In
order to treat hemorrhagic stroke, surgery procedures may be
recommended. These procedures include aneurysm clipping, coiling or
aneurysm embolization and surgical AVM removal.
Stroke Treatment Post-Surgery
People who underwent surgery procedures because of stroke are required
to undergo post-surgery treatment. This stroke treatment includes
rehabilitation. Patients rehab would depend on the type of stroke and
the area of the brain that was affected. It would also take into
consideration the severity of damage to the tissues. Post-operation
treatment requires the coordinated efforts of various people to help
the patient get back on his feet. Usually, the patients physiatrist,
nurse, dietician, physical and occupational therapist, recreational
therapist, speech therapist, psychiatrist, social worker and even his
chaplain would work together to help stroke recovery.
The post-surgery stroke treatment is designed to help the patient gain
back his independence. It is geared towards helping the patient relearn
all his skills like walking and talking.
Future of Stroke Treatment
Studies are being done to develop drugs that would dissolve clots
faster. These drugs could be administered intravenously or directly
into the clogged brain artery. This is considered to be a rather
aggressive type of treatment. Stroke medication
designed to slow down brain cells degeneration are also being
developed. Nothing is still perfect but there are high hopes for stroke
treatment.