Ischemic Stroke

Neurology · ~7% of blueprint

Pathophysiology: Arterial occlusion (thrombotic or embolic) → focal cerebral ischemia and infarction.
Signs & Symptoms: Sudden focal deficit — unilateral weakness, facial droop, aphasia, or neglect (by territory).
Gold Standard Diagnosis: Emergent non-contrast CT head to exclude hemorrhage; MRI is more sensitive for early ischemia.
First-line Treatment: IV tPA within ≤4.5 h if eligible; thrombectomy for large-vessel occlusion; then antiplatelet therapy.

High-Yield Pearl

Get a non-contrast CT first — you must rule out hemorrhage before giving tPA.

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