title: [Apoplexy--current status of diagnostics and therapy].
abstract: During the past years increasingly stricter criteria have been applied to the primary prevention of ischemic stroke. This applies especially to the treatment of asymptomatic carotid stenosis. An operation is indicated for a blockage of 60% and higher, including symptom-free patients under 75 years of age. At the moment, a final conclusion on the preferred operative procedure--thromboendarterectomy or stent implantation--cannot be made. For the secondary prevention of apoplexy, the highest relative risk reduction for vascular accidents using thrombocyte aggregation inhibitors was achieved with the combination ASA plus dipyridamole. Diuretics, calcium antagonists, ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) are equally suitable for the reduction of blood pressure after apoplectic insult. Moreover, the latter appear to have advantages for the prevention of a renewed apoplexy. The benefit of statins in the secondary prevention of apoplexy has been substantiated by the Heart Protection Study. Simvastatin has the best evidence for its effectiveness in patients without CHD; in contrast, atorvastatin has possibly more benefits for patients with clinically evident CHD. The direct thrombin inhibitor, ximelagatran, will be available as an alternative to the oral anticoagulant marcumar in the foreseeable future.
authors.affiliation: Abt. für Neurologie, Krankenhaus Harlaching, München. neurologie.kubalek@khmh.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kubalek
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Haberl
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008019:Life Style; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D013917:Thrombin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D013917:Thrombin