No abstract

Physiologic alterations during pregnancy create an environment for the occurrence of disease states that are either unique to pregnancy, occur more frequently in pregnancy, or require special management considerations that may be different from the nonpregnancy state. In the realm of cerebrovascular disease, preeclampsia, eclampsia, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, sources of cardiogenic embolization including peripartum cardiomyopathy, cerebral venous thrombosis, pituitary apoplexy, subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, and special considerations for anticoagulation during pregnancy will be discussed. Management of epilepsy during pregnancy counterbalances maternal freedom from seizures against the potential for major, minor, cognitive, and behavioral fetal deformities. Teratogenic potential of the most common anticonvulsants are described. Considerations for anticonvulsant level monitoring during pregnancy are based upon differences in medication clearance in comparison to the prepregnancy state. The most common neuromuscular disorders of pregnancy are reviewed.

No abstract

Questions about thrombolytic management arise frequently, often with the intent of ascertaining safety and efficacy in specific situations. Thrombolytic therapy is generally safe, even if a nonruptured intracranial aneurysm is present. The risk of cardiac rupture with tamponade is low, except for the first 7 weeks following myocardial infarction. Over this duration, there is an increased risk of intravenous thrombolytic therapy in specific patient groups. Stroke infrequently occurs during cardiac catheterization. Its infrequent occurrence has limited large treatment trials. Basilar artery occlusion management will be reviewed. Thrombolytic therapy is generally safe in the context of pre-existing cerebral microhemorrhages and cervical artery dissections. Additionally, the role of multimodal penumbral imaging in planning stroke therapy will be reviewed.