Cerebrovascular diseases
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2009
Relevance of stroke code, stroke unit and stroke networks in organization of acute stroke care--the Madrid acute stroke care program.
Stroke is a neurological emergency. The early administration of specific treatment improves the prognosis of the patients. Emergency care systems with early warning for the hospital regarding patients who are candidates for this treatment (stroke code) increases the number of patients treated. ⋯ The neurologist has the function of coordinating the protocols of intrahospital care. These organizational plans should also take into account the process beyond the acute phase, to ensure the appropriate application of measures of secondary prevention, rehabilitation, and chronic care of the patients that remain in a dependent state. We describe here the stroke care program in the Community of Madrid (Spain).
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2009
Diffusion-weighted imaging showing 'pearls' predicts large-vessel disease as stroke etiology.
The patterns on diffusion-weighted (DWI) MRI may be predictive of stroke etiology. In this retrospective study, we assessed whether DWI bright lesions termed 'pearls' predicted the presence of large-vessel arterial stenosis as the etiology of stroke. ⋯ The presence of either 'string of pearls' or 'scattered pearls' on MRI was associated with an independently determined mechanism of intracranial or extracranial arterial stenosis. In patients with acute stroke distributions consistent with either of these patterns, additional vascular imaging should be considered.