What Is The Long Term Outlook?

Today, the outlook for people who have had a brain attack is more hopeful than ever before. Because of advances in treatment and rehabilitation, many people can return to a fulfilling life.

A stroke survivor's family plays a vital role in recovery. Family members need to understand what the person is going through, what to expect, and how to handle problems that will arise. A person's will to recover and desire to be independent play a big part in recovery; the family can help by providing a warm, supportive, and encouraging atmosphere.

The understanding of what causes strokes and how best to treat them is still expanding. Researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Md., predict that Americans should be able to prevent 80 percent of all strokes within the next 10 years. They believe this will happen because of continued attention to reducing the risks of stroke and by using currently available therapies and developing new ones.

Among those new therapies are drugs that make the brain less susceptible to the damaging effects of a stroke. Called neuroprotective agents, these drugs include citicoline and lazaroid compounds. They currently are under evaluation in clinical trials.