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What happens during a stroke? - Vaibhav Goswami

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Every two seconds, someone in the world has a stroke. One out of every six people will have a stroke at some point in their lives. Strokes deprive brain cells of oxygen and are one of the most common causes of death, and a leading cause of preventable disability. But what causes strokes in the first place? And what can doctors do to treat them? Vaibhav Goswami takes us into the body to find out.


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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Vaibhav Goswami
  • Director Outis
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Associate Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Ischemic strokes can occur at any age for various reasons. In the pediatric population, they commonly occur because of arteriopathy. When patients are diagnosed with a stroke, prompt medical attention is warranted. After acute treatment with IVTPA and/or endovascular therapy, patients are admitted to the hospital for close monitoring. To receive the acute treatment, patients must meet certain inclusion criteria, such as experiencing anticoagulation, a recent stroke, a recent hemorrhage, or seizures during the onset of a stroke. Patients receive a CT scan as soon as they arrive at the hospital. However, endovascular therapy is not offered if the risk of another stroke is severe. Patients who do not undergo therapy receive different forms of care: the head of their bed is kept flat and blood pressure is allowed to stay elevated to increase cerebral perfusion. Patients are evaluated to determine the cause of their stroke and to place them on the appropriate medication to prevent further stroke. If deficits are large, patients are referred for rehabilitation therapy, which has shown to help improve deficits up to three months after a stroke.

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Vaibhav Goswami
  • Director Outis
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Associate Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez

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