GENERAL-MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE - CLINICAL-FEATURES AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

The management of patients with acute ischaemic stroke includes treatm ent of stroke itself, the management of medical problems, and the earl y initiation of rehabilitation. Current research focuses more on speci fic stroke treatment, such as reperfusion or prevention of extension o f ischaemic brain damage, than on the management of general conditions and the treatment of medical complications associated with acute stro ke. At present, a better prognosis of stroke is more often the consequ ence of good general management than of a specific therapy. General ma nagement of stroke includes cardiac and pulmonary care, fluid and ion balance restoration, metabolic maintenance, blood pressure control and prevention of bed sores and phlebitis. Treatment of elevated intracra nial pressure and temperature control must also be considered in some cases. Several points, however, remain controversial, such as the trea tment of arterial hypertension and the management of cardiac arrhythmi a.