Stroke Health Center

Immediate treatment for a stroke will focus on the blockage causing the stroke. This usually involves therapy with clot-busting medications started within a few hours of the stroke.

One common way doctors do this is by administering tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) through a blood vessel in the arm. tPA, which works best if given within three hours of the stroke, works to dissolve the clot and boost blood flow. In some cases, doctors will insert a catheter (tube) into a blood vessel to try to administer tPA directly to the clot or remove the clot altogether.

After immediate treatment, doctors will focus on preventing future strokes. They will assess lifestyle and health factors that could raise stroke risk — smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes, for example. Doctors will counsel patients on how they can eliminate or reduce risk factors, such as by quitting smoking through a smoking cessation program or through prescription medications.

Depending on the severity of the stroke and the damage it caused, patients often need physical therapy after a stroke. Physical therapy can help with many post-stroke conditions. These include dysphasia (trouble swallowing), trouble walking, hemiparesis (muscle weakness on one side of the body) and limited coordination.