Stroke

Stroke is a leading cause of death and the major cause of long-term, physical, psychological and social disability in the elderly around the world. Knowing and treating the most common risk factors for stroke such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and obesity may reduce the occurrence of stroke sub- stantially. In the last decades, there has been tremendous progress in the development of noninvasive diagnostic techniques like ultrasound MRI, CT angiography, CT perfusion, as well as new effective therapeutic strategies for acute ischemic stroke which established vascular neurology as one of the most progressive fields in medicine. This publication provides the reader with the most recent updated advanced knowledge on the practical clinical approach to stroke medicine. It covers essential and practical information on the pathophysiology and epidemiology of stroke, new diagnostic techniques which allow for better diagnosis and identification of various subtypes of stroke, and new therapeutic strategies for acute stroke and transient ischemic attack.