Acute Medical Management of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

Stroke is a diverse pathologic term that can be broadly categorized into ischemic and/or hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes result from stenosis or occlusion of arterial blood supply and can be caused by a variety of factors, including atherosclerosis, embolus propagation, or vasoconstriction. Hemorrhagic strokes result from spontaneous blood vessel rupture and typically are further classified by location (e.g., intracerebral, subarachnoid, intraventricular). The primary goal in caring for the stroke patient is expediting access to critical care and advanced neurosurgical and neurointerventional providers. This chapter reviews the initial medical management of strokes.