Treatment of the unknown patient: insights from acute stroke

Simon M Bell1,2, Dilraj Sokhi3, Tom Hughes4

  • 1Department of Neurology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.

Practical Neurology
|July 27, 2017
PubMed

When an unidentified patient who cannot communicate presents with symptoms and signs suggesting an acute stroke, the decision to thrombolyse is a particular challenge. In a time-pressured environment, clinicians need clear thought processes for diagnosis and treatment. Ethical considerations, diagnosis, identity and previous history, contraindications, time of symptom onset (EDICT) can help decision-making in this situation.