Guide To Ischemic Stroke Treatment And Recovery

Long-Term Medication

When an ischemic stroke is the result of certain medical conditions that cause the individual's blood to clot inappropriately or when many blood vessels around the body are affected by atherosclerosis, they may need to be on long-term medication to prevent the recurrence of a stroke. Blood pressure medications may need to be taken in the long-term by patients who have had an ischemic stroke to help prevent further damage to the blood vessels. Medications known to help decrease cholesterol may be needed for the long-term if the stroke is the result of plaque buildup in the blood vessels. Medications considered to be antiplatelet therapy may be necessary for the long-term for patients who have blood that clots excessively and inappropriately. These medications may also be used in conjunction with cholesterol-lowering drugs to help the blood flow through the vessels easier. Antiplatelet therapy may include the use of drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid, dipyridamole, and clopidogrel. Anticoagulants may also be used in the long-term to help reduce hypercoagulability in a patient's blood for the same purposes.

Speech Therapy

Many patients who have an ischemic stroke tend to experience problems with their speech during and after the event if the part of the brain where speech is formed or where speech is interpreted has become damaged. Damage to the nerves responsible for moving the muscles that control the movement of the mouth and tongue to produce sounds can also cause patients to have a communication barrier. Approximately thirty-three percent of all stroke patients experience communication difficulties or aphasia following the event. Speech therapy is useful in the treatment of patients affected by a stroke when they need help with forming sounds and words, cannot swallow properly, are unable to write or read words, and or have difficulty finding the right words to use to convey what they want to say. Speech therapy involves helping the patient regain speech and communication function and helping them adapt to or overcome related functions that are permanently lost. Speech therapy may involve learning to use tools such as gestures, communication charts, drawing, writing, or a letter board to communicate with others.