[Emergency treatment of cerebral infarction by the family physician]

The emergency treatment chain of procedures for an acute stroke begins and ends with the family physician who assumes important duties and responsibilities. The physician should be already familiar with the local treatment possibilities and suitable hospitals for cerebral infarction. High risk patients and their family members should know the symptoms of a stroke and the necessity of swift action. In an emergency, the first attending physician stabilizes the vital functions of the patient and documents the chronological appearance of the symptoms and concomitant diseases. The physician organizes the transport of the patient to an appropriate hospital, ideally one with a stroke unit, where further therapy and diagnostics are performed. Finally, the family physician controls and monitors the secondary prophylaxis.