Enfermedad vascular cerebral isquémica: revisión extensa de la bibliografía para el médico de primer contacto

Vascular cerebral ischemic disease constitutes a leading cause of morbidity and mortality as well as of disability worldwide. Its incidence has risen in developing countries in which it is estimated that two thirds of all cases occur annually. Risk factors for ischemic stroke are related with obesity and sedentary lifestyle; nonetheless, hypertension is the main factor involved in the occurrence of the disease. The prognosis depends directly on the time since the onset of the symptoms and the establishment of an optimal treatment. In recent years, important advances in the medical and interventionist treatment of ischemic stroke has been made which has resulted in a lower rate of deaths and an improvement in functionality at the short term; however, some of the therapeutic options are not available in most of the hospital centers and many patients are not eligible for endovascular procedures as they attend late or there is a delay in the identification and diagnosis of the disease. Therefore, it is of major importance that physicians and specialists taking care of patients with neurological impairment know diagnostic and therapeutic tools useful in the approach and management of ischemic stroke to improve the prognosis of the affected individuals. In this article we review the clinical approach to patients with vascular cerebral ischemic disease and make an update of the treatment with a focus on the practice of evidence-based medicine.