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Stroke medicine for the geriatrician 2010

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2010

SL Keir*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
K Strachan
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Sarah Keir, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU. Email: [email protected]

Summary

This review explores the recent advances in investigation and treatment of acute stroke, as well as its secondary prevention, with emphasis on the relevance of the evidence for the older population. Hyperacute reperfusion treatment is becoming increasingly embedded into the day-to-day management of stroke and trials are ongoing that will help determine its safety in the older patient. Managing all stroke patients in a stroke unit is known to improve outcome and recent work has helped to inform care decisions. Application of the robust data available on secondary prevention treatments may have to be weighed alongside the degree of frailty of the patient for whom treatment is being considered.

Type
Clinical geriatrics
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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