Management of acute physiological parameters after stroke

Considerable effort has been directed towards acute stroke research with nu merous drug therapies being tried and tested. As yet there is still no rout ine treatment that is unequivocally effective in acute stroke. The developm ent of stroke units has been a major breakthrough in reducing disability th rough co-ordinated rehabilitation, and new interest is being focussed towar ds limiting acute neurological deterioration through acute stroke units. Mo nitoring and attempting to stabilize acute physiological parameters within normal limits such as blood pressure, temperature, hydration status, glucos e levels and oxygen saturations, has become standard practice for some acut e stroke units. Strategies to correct hypertension, hypotension, dehydratio n, hyperglycaemia, pyrexia and hypoxia may potentially reduce neuronal dama ge in the acute phase of stroke and subsequently improve functional outcome and survival. Whether we require large prospective randomized controlled t rials to lest whether these specific interventions are to be used in mainst ay practice is unclear.