RanD Ventura Biosciences Pvt. Ltd., T. Nagar, Chennai-600 017, India.

RanD Ventura Biosciences Pvt. Ltd., T. Nagar, Chennai-600 017, India.
Stroke ,Symptoms ,Pathophysiology ,Treatment ,

Knowledge of stroke and the process of recovery after stroke have developed enormously in the late 20th century and early 21st century. It was not until the year 1620 that Johan Wepfer, by studying the brain of a pig, came up with the theory that stroke was caused by an interruption of the flow of blood to the brain. This was an important breakthrough, but once the cause of strokes was known, the question became how to treat patients with stroke. The primary goals of stroke management are to reduce brain injury and promote maximum patient recovery. When available, patients are admitted to an acute stroke unit for treatment. These units specialize in providing medical and surgical care aimed at stabilizing the patient’s medical status. Standardized assessments are also performed to aid in the development of an appropriate care plan. Current research suggests that stroke units may be effective in reducing in-hospital fatality rates and the length of hospital stays. Once a patient is medically stable, the focus of their recovery shifts to rehabilitation. Some patients are transferred to in-patient rehabilitation programs, while others may be referred to out-patient services or home-based care. In-patient programs are usually facilitated by an interdisciplinary team that may include a physician, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, psychologist, and recreation therapist. The patient and their family/caregivers also play an integral role on this team. The primary goals of this review recovery from stroke include preventing secondary health complications, minimizing impairments, and achieving functional goals that promote independence in activities of daily living. In the later phases of stroke recovery, patients are encouraged to participate in secondary prevention programs for stroke.

2 , 1 , 2012