Stroke

The treatments for large-vessel ischemic stroke include IV rtPA, IA rtPA, and mechanical clot retrieval. All must be used soon after symptom onset for the best outcome.

Imaging studies obtained from a 2-year-old who presents with a sprained right ankle and head injury reveal something unexpected.

Induced hypothermia, used to prevent brain ischemia during cardiac surgery, can also effectively treat out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

A 32-year-old nonsmoking female migraineur presents to your primary care office seeking more effective abortive treatment for her migraines. She is having one to two headaches per month that are only partially relieved by NSAIDs. Each headache lasts 2 to 3 days and negatively impacts her ability to work and to care for her two children. She is currently asymptomatic. Her medical history is negative for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.

By identifying and treating all high-risk patients, PAs can help to prevent approximately 50% of all strokes; instituting appropriate therapies in moderate-risk patients has the potential to reduce the incidence of stroke even further.