Stroke: Diagnosis and Management

Stroke ranks as the third leading cause of death in most industrialized nations and is

the leading cause of long-term disability. The American Heart Association estimated

the cost of stoke to be approximately 50 billion dollars in 2001 (1). Advances in the

diagnosis of stroke, treatment options, intensive care management, and rehabilitation

services have improved the prognosis for many patients with cerebrovascular

accidents (2,3).