The following complications are conceivable in cerebral stroke:
- Death
- Emaciation, decrepitude
- Severe motor impairment
- Severe disturbance of the function of the sensory organs (for example, eyes, ears, vestibular organ).
- Impairment of the function of internal organs, including the excretory organs.
- Pneumonia
- Thrombosis
- Impairment of intellectual performance up to dementia
Treatment of stroke
Basically, a distinction must be made between treatment in the acute stage and rehabilitation treatment, including preventive measures to avoid further strokes. The principles of therapy in the acute stage of a stroke have changed over time. Nowadays, the following measures are recognized as effective:
Drugs to thin the blood: by administering certain drugs such as heparin via the vein, the blood’s ability to clot can be reduced, blood flow in the affected area of the brain can be improved, and thus the extent of the damage can be reduced.
Lysis therapy: If the onset of acute stroke symptoms was no more than four to six hours ago, lysis therapy can be used in individual cases to dissolve the blood clot that caused the stroke. The advantages of lysis therapy must be weighed against possible risks due to the increased risk of bleeding.
Balloon dilatation: Under certain conditions, an attempt can also be made at specialized centers in the acute stage of stroke to dilate the occluded vessel again with the aid of a balloon catheter inserted into the vascular system.
Surgery: If the acute stroke is due to hemorrhage into the brain, for example, due to a brain tumor or after vessel rupture, acute brain surgery may also be necessary in individual cases to relieve the pressure. After overcoming the acute phase of the stroke, the following treatment options exist:
- Physiotherapy
- Medication for blood thinning
- Control of risk factors for strokes.
- Surgery of large narrowed neck vessels
- Treatment of underlying heart disease
Preventive measures
In principle, the prevention of stroke is all those measures that are also indicated to prevent other vascular diseases: Because of the particular importance of hypertension in the development of stroke, adequate control of blood pressure should be a top priority.
- Physiotherapy
- Medication for blood thinning
- Control of risk factors for strokes.
- Surgery of large narrowed neck vessels
- Treatment of underlying heart disease
- Weight regulation for obesity
- Diet and medication for hypertension, dyslipidemia or diabetes.
- Nicotine abstinence
- Sufficient physical exercise
