Cerebral vascular diseases

Strokes remain an important cause of mortality and morbidity despite recent advances in neurologic intensive care. Although support of ventilation and circulation improves the outcome for stroke patients, the efficacy of cerebral resuscitative measures such as hyperventilation, osmotherapy, fluid restriction, steroids, intracranial pressure control, and barbiturates remains unproven. Current specific therapies (anticoagulation, surgery) are useful in carefully selected patients. New therapies now being researched include fluorocarbons, narcotic antagonists, and calcium blockers.