Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Stroke is rare in children but leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Emergency department physicians are likely to be the first to evaluate children suffering strokes and it is, therefore, important for them to recognize common presenting features and risk factors for pediatric stroke. This review describes the epidemiology, clinical presentations, stroke types, associated risk factors, evaluation, treatment, and prognosis of pediatric stroke. Further research is needed on the acute and preventative treatments of pediatric stroke because merely applying our knowledge of stroke in adults to children is insufficient.
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Intracranial hemorrhage refers to any bleeding within the intracranial vault, including the brain parenchyma and surrounding meningeal spaces. This article focuses on the acute diagnosis and management of primary nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage in the emergency department.
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Stroke mimics are an important consideration for emergency physicians and physician extenders working in emergency departments. The emergency medicine physician must determine whether the acute neurologic deficits represent a transient event or a potential stroke. This article describes the common stroke mimic presentations by cause, including toxic-metabolic pathologies, seizure disorders, degenerative neurologic conditions, and peripheral neuropathies.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Aug 2012
ReviewRecognition and initial management of acute ischemic stroke.
This article addresses the recognition and management of acute ischemic stroke. It includes a discussion of cerebrovascular anatomy, common ischemic stroke syndromes, and central venous thrombosis. Extensive attention is paid to the initial emergency department management of stroke, addressing medical and systems issues, and treatment of ischemic stroke by thrombolysis.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Aug 2012
ReviewEndovascular and neurosurgical management of acute ischemic stroke.
Acute ischemic stroke is recognized as the third leading cause of death in the United States; improved treatments for management are important to reduce disability and death. The standard of care of acute stroke therapy has been reperfusion/recanalization of the occluded vessels using pharmacologic management, endovascular management, or a combination approach. Significant improvements have been made in the management with the use of endovascular therapy. This article reviews the literature on the endovascular and neurosurgical management of patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke and presents current evidence-based guidelines for endovascular or neurosurgical interventions outlined for management of ischemic stroke.