Practical Guide to Stroke

Basic Science And Epidemiology: Cerebrovascular Anatomy; Arterial and cardiac causes of ischaemic stroke: Cardiac embolism and its causes; Artery to artery embolism; In situ thrombosis; Small vessel disease; Mechanisms of cell damage in ischaemic stroke; Epidemiology of TIA and ischaemic stroke including interplay between stroke and risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, cholesterol, peripheral vascular disease, smoking, hyperhomocysteinaemia, and so forth). DIagnosis And Investigation: The Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project classification of stroke syndromes; Anterior circulation cerebral infarcts and underlying vascular lesions; Posterior circulation cerebral infarcts and underlying vascular lesions; Investigations: Blood; Heart (ECG. Transthoracic and transoesophageal echo); Brain (CT, MRI); Arteries (Ultarsound, MRA, angiography, transcranial Doppler); Others (CSF and so forth). Management: General measures: Stroke units; Swallowing; Breathing; Blood pressure; Glucose; Prevention of DVT; Rehabilitation; Specific measures: Antithrombotics - aspirin, heparin; Anticoagulants - warfarin; Thrombolysis; Neuroprotectants; Others - steroids, mannitol, calcium antagonists etc; Secondary prevention: Aspirin; Other anti-platelet agents (Clopidogrel, dipyridamole); Anticoagulants; Lipids; Blood pressure; Carotid endarterectomy/angioplasty. Other Types And Causes Of Stroke: Intracranial haemorrhage (presentation, causes, BP, amyloid angiopathy, drugs, vasculitis); Subarachnoid haemorrhage (presentation, causes, investigations, treatment: nimodipine, surgery, coiling); Stroke in the young (dissections, thrombophilias, cardiac incl. patent foramen ovale etc, antiphospholipid syndrome and so forth); Genetic causes of stroke; Cerebral venous. (Part contents).