Recovery from Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Strokes

- Pattern of recovery depends largely on: Type of Stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic)

- Eventual level of recovery depends largely on: i) the amount of brain tissue destroyed and ii) the location of the destruction

	General course of neurologic recovery from stroke:
	Ischemic Strokes: Neurologic recovery greatest in the first 2 weeks and diminishes over time until the patient's condition stabilises
	Hemorrhagic Strokes: Little improvement for the first few weeks after the stroke, followed by a period of relatively rapid recovery, then slows and stabilises
Recovery from either ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes is essentially complete by 6 months poststroke
Patients with brain haemorrhages take longer to begin their recovery than patients with ischemic strokes.
* For patients with equivalent deficits at onset, recovery for hemorrhagic stroke are usually at a level above that of ischemic stroke.

P.S. Recovery from ischemic strokes is greatest for patients in the middle severity ranges.

Patients who remain severely impaired when the acute effects of the stroke have dissipated (2 to 4 weeks poststroke) have limited recovery.
Patients with very mild impairments during the first few days after an ischemic stroke do not benefit much from neurologic recovery because they have little to recover.

References:

Brookshire, R.H. (2007). Introduction to neurogenic communication disorders (7th Ed). St. Louis: Mosby. (page 36- 50)

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