Emergency treatment will depend on the type of stroke and when it occurred. Medication options may include:
- Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot-busting drug given through an IV within three hours of a stroke.
- Medication to decrease pressure in the brain, lower blood pressure, prevent blood vessels spasms due to bleeding or prevent seizures.
Procedures for stroke can include:
- Thrombectomy removes blood clots too large to be broken down completely by tPA.
- Surgical clipping to prevent a brain aneurysm from rupturing, which could cause additional brain bleeding.
- Coiling (endovascular embolization), which involves placing tiny, detachable coils into an aneurysm. The aneurysm fills with blood and blocks blood flow to stop a hemorrhagic stroke.
- Carotid endarterectomy to remove fatty deposits (plaques) from the carotid arteries in the neck to help prevent recurrent transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or strokes.
- Angioplasty, in which a neurosurgeon inserts a balloon through a blood vessel in the groin to expand the narrowed artery. Then, we place a stent to support the widened artery.
Rehabilitation
After a stroke, it is common to experience muscle weakness, coordination problems and difficulty speaking. Houston Methodist’s compassionate and skilled rehabilitation experts can help you regain strength, recover function and regain independence. We will recommend a treatment plan that may include outpatient or in-home therapy or recovery in a rehabilitation facility. Learn more about stroke rehabilitation.
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