A Practical Guide to Stroke

A Practical Guide to Stroke is comprehensive, includes the basic science which forms the basis for the diagnosis and management of stroke. Current issues are addressed including the most recent clinical findings on the genetic causes of strokep> - This practical guide simplifies the diagnosis and management of stroke for the non-specialist
- Issues addressed include classification of stroke syndromes, stroke units, rehabilitation and genetic causes of stroke.
- Details of the essential scientific and clinical features of each syndrome and the results of investigations help the reader quickly reach their diagnosis in clinical practice

Contents
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, etc); 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 etc); 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 etc.); Genetic causes of stroke; Cerebral venous thrombosis; DRUGS IN STROKE AND TIA.