[Stroke. An effective evaluation and specialized treatment].

Stroke is an acute disorder with a high fatality rate and with severe residual impairment among many of the survivors. Advances in neuroimaging and ultrasound have increased our understanding of the disease process. New drugs seem to reduce the neuronal damage caused by brain infarction if they are administered within the first few hours after onset of stroke. Management of stroke patients in a specialised stroke unit hastens recovery and is associated with a sustained reduction in mortality. Both recovery and survival can be jeopardized by cerebral, systemic, and cardiac complications, which may be attenuated by rigorous attention to general medical factors. Treatment of acute stroke will certainly change dramatically in coming years.