Part of the Your Questions Answered series, this useful book provides must-have information for understanding and treating patients who have suffered a stroke or who are at risk of suffering one. Written in the same popular question and answer format as the others titles in this series, it helps prepare readers to work with patients and their families. It also provides information on effective, evidence-based care and management for the busy practitioner who needs quick access to important clinical information.

•  Answers the questions that are frequently asked by general physicians, neurologists in-training, medical students, stroke patients, caregivers, and the general population.

•  Addresses both commonplace and rarer issues.

•  Covers prevention of secondary stroke.

•  Discusses stroke in special populations (i.e. children, pregnant women).

•  Includes useful information on stroke services, patient support groups, and web sites.

•  Provides references for further reading.

1. Terminology and definitions (What is a stroke?) 

2. Epidemiology (How big is the problem of stroke?) 

3. Diagnosis of stroke and transient ischaemic attack (Is it a vascular event?) 

4. Localization of the lesion (Where is the damage?) 

5. Pathological diagnosis (What is the nature of the lesion?) 

6. Aetiological diagnosis 1 (What are the possible causes?) 

7. Aetiological diagnosis 2 (What are the possible risk factors?) 

8. Aetiological diagnosis 3 (What investigations are needed?) 

9. Prognosis (What does the future hold for the patient?) 

10. Early management (Should patients be referred to hospital?) 

11. Hospital management (Where and how should the patient be managed?) 

12. General management (What is basic stroke care?) 

13. Specific management (What therapy for stroke is effective?) 

14. Secondary prevention (How can recurrence be managed?) 

15. Post-stroke care (How should persisting problems be managed?) 

16. Stroke in special populations 

Appendix A: Volunteer and support groups and web sites 

Appendix B: Diagnostic evaluation of suspected transient ischaemic attack and stroke 

References 

Glossary 

Index of patient questions 

Index