Treatment Options for Stroke Victims

A stroke is a major medical event, one that must be treated as quickly as possible in order to minimize the damage that it causes to the brain. Senior care professionals understand that the treatment plan that a doctor recommends will depend upon the kind of stroke that has taken place. Also, an elderly individual’s medical history, symptoms, and other factors may be considered. Helping elderly loved ones through the treatment of a stroke is difficult, but you can assist your senior in staying strong through the process by educating yourself about the ways in which strokes are treated. The elder care professionals in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, know that understanding these treatment options makes the entire process a little less daunting.

Ischemic Stroke Treatment

Ischemic strokes may be first treated with a clot-dissolving medication. Called a tissue plasminogen activator, or t-PA, this medication disbands clots and, in so doing, restores blood flow to the brain. As such, if administered quickly enough, it can prevent further damage to brain cells.

In addition to a t-PA, seniors who suffer from ischemic strokes may also be given aspirin or a similar medication. This is an antiplatelet drug that prevents platelets from clotting.

Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment

Elderly individuals who suffer from a hemorrhagic stroke may first be monitored for the symptoms of increased pressure in the brain. Medications to control several different factors, including blood pressure, fever, blood sugar, and seizures, may be administered to minimize the damage that the stroke causes to the body.

If the stroke has been determined to stem from a ruptured aneurysm, surgeons may opt to perform one of two different procedures; they may use a metal clip to stop the aneurysm from bleeding any further or they may choose to perform endovascular coil embolization, which entails threading a coil into the aneurysm to stop the flow of blood. Surgery is also an option when bleeding leads to high pressure around the brain, as medical professionals may need to drain the fluid that is pushing on the organ.

The most important thing to remember is to get your senior into the hands of a trained healthcare professional as soon as possible when a stroke begins. Treating this condition quickly is imperative to preventing lasting damage to the brain.