A stroke is a condition that cannot be messed around with. If prompt, emergency medical care is not given as soon as symptoms present themselves, the person could suffer irreversible brain damage or even worse, die. And even when they do get stroke treatment, they could still suffer enough brain damages where they have limited facilities. Yet, there are stroke rehabilitation programs that can help get a person back to normal. Either way, the key is getting a person in hospital on time so they can get the proper stroke treatment they need. This article will explain the most common stroke treatments used in the medical community.

Drugs Given During a Stroke

Drugs are stroke treatments that are commonly used for Ischemic stroke sufferers. This is a type of stroke in which a fatty deposit clogs blood vessels in the brain. The drugs used for Ischemic stroke treatment first try to destroy the clot that is there. This is called a clot-busting or thrombolytic drug. A specific type of clot-buster that is used as a stroke treatment is tissue plasminogen activator, (also known as TPA). This drug is inserted directly into the veins. In the United States only a few people receive this type of stroke treatment.

Surgery

Surgery is used for Ischemic strokes as well as hemorrhagic strokes, (a type of stroke where blood vessels burst). For Ischemic strokes the types of surgical procedures that are used include: Carotid endarterectomy, Angioplasty and catheter embolectomy. With Carotid endarterectomy stroke treatment, doctors remove the plaques that are in the carotid artery. Angioplasty involves widening arteries in the brain. Finally, there is the stroke treatment of catheter embolectomy, a relatively new treatment that involves using a catheter to remove clots.

Surgical stroke treatment for hemorrhagic strokes is a bit different than the treatment that is done for Ischemic strokes. These include: aneurysm clipping, coiling and surgical AVM removal. With aneurysm clipping a clamp is placed on the aneurysm, (which is a build-up of blood). This allows it to be isolated from the artery it is in. On the other hand, coiling is when the aneurysm is sealed off by the clotting that occurs when a catheter is maneuvered inside of it. Then there's AVM removal, where weak, abnormally-formed blood vessels are removed.

Drugs Given After a Stroke

Another element associated with stroke treatment is trying to prevent the stroke from reoccurring. This is a stroke treatment that is commonly given to Ischemic stroke sufferers. These include anti-platelet drugs and anticoagulants. Anti-platelet drugs destroy platelets, which are substances that are more likely to result in the type of clotting that causes stroke. The most common anti-platelet stroke treatment is already in everyone's medicine cabinet... aspirin. Conversely, anticoagulants work more in killing blood clots when they happen. Stroke sufferers with blood-clotting disorders are more likely to get this very powerful form of stroke treatment. Examples of some of the drugs that are prescribed include heparin and warfarin. Heparin is meant to be used in the short-term while warfarin is meant to be used over the long term.