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This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
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Australian Prescriber Vol. 27 No. 5 2004
Early management of acute stroke
A stroke is caused by an area of the brain being starved of oxygen or damaged by bleeding. This can kill the patient or leave them disabled.
To limit the damage, strokes need rapid treatment. Patients usually need a brain scan to find the cause of the stroke.
If the stroke is caused by a blocked blood vessel, medicines, including aspirin, can improve the supply of blood and oxygen to the damaged area.
Patients who survive a stroke will need advice and treatment to try and prevent it happening again. Stopping smoking is an important part of prevention.
