Treating a Stroke

How a stroke is treated depends heavily on the type of stroke you had. Read more about it in this section.

Emergency clot dissolving treatment

Some patients may be eligible to receive TPA treatment. TPA is a ‘clot-buster’ treatment that dissolves or break up the clot that is obstructing an artery. TPA should only be given at hospitals with stroke units that have scanning facilities. TPA can only be given to patients who are having a stroke caused by a blood clot, and it must be given within 4 ½ hours of the start of stroke symptoms.

Removal of a clot in the brain

A mechanical thrombectomy is the physical removal of a large blood clot. Mechanical clot removal can only be attempted under specific circumstances and must be performed within 6 hours after the patient suffered a stroke.

Carotid endarterectomy

A carotid endarterectomy is a procedure to treat narrowed blood vessels in the neck. Not all stroke patients will undergo this procedure and it is often not necessary if you suffered a TIA.

Emergency surgery after a haemorrhagic stroke

If the patient suffered a haemorrhagic stroke, surgery may be needed to removed blood that has pooled in the brain.

Antiplatelet medication

Antiplatelet medication lowers your chance of having another stroke or TIA. It reduces the blood-clotting effect by making blood cells called platelets less sticky. Aspirin and Clopidogrel are widely used antiplatelet medicines.

Warfarin

Warfarin is used to prevent blood clots by thinning your blood. Although it is very effective, your doctor must keep a careful watch over how thin your blood is.