Supportive care

Supportive care is required for all patients, this consists of:

• support for the patient and family:
  • explanation of the diagnosis and the treatment plan
    
    
• medical support:
  
  
• the airway may need protection:
  • in a comatose patient a Guedel airway may be needed
  • the safety of the swallow should be assessed
  • if the swallow is defective the patient should take nothing orally and be hydrated intrvenously
  • it is rare to ventilate a stroke patient
    
    
• blood pressure regulation:
  • post-stroke hypertension is common and may last several days
  • aggressive hypotensive therapy may be harmful
  • typically only diastolic pressures above 130 mmHg should be treated
    
    
• nutrition