title: Acute ischemic stroke: emergent evaluation and management.
abstract: This article discusses stroke, the third leading cause of death and number one cause of adult disability in the United States, inflicting a devastating physical, emotional, and financial toll on its victims and their families. The last decade has seen the emergence of new treatments for acute stroke, energizing stroke care providers and spreading a sense of optimism among them. Because effective stroke treatment is extremely time-dependent, it is paramount that emergency physicians understand and excel in their critical role at the forefront of stroke management. This article outlines the emergent evaluation and management of acute ischemic stroke, emphasizing the importance of the emergency physician in acute stroke treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert B. Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0769, USA. jason.thurman@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: R Jason
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Thurman
authors.forename: Edward C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Jauch
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000075202:Contraindications; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D013577:Syndrome; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents