Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- fraqueza unilateral ou paralisia na face, braço ou perna
- disfasia
- ataxia
- distúrbio visual
- fatores de risco
Other diagnostic factors
- perda sensorial (dormência)
- disartria
- cefaleia
- paresia da mirada
- arritmias, sopros ou edema pulmonar
- vertigem
- náuseas e/ou vômitos
- dor cervical ou facial
- miose, ptose e anidrose facial (hemilateral)
- diminuição do nível de consciência ou coma
Risk factors
- idade avançada
- história familiar de AVC
- história de AVC isquêmico ou AIT
- hipertensão
- tabagismo
- diabetes mellitus
- fibrilação atrial
- comorbidades cardíacas
- estenose da artéria carótida
- doença falciforme
- dislipidemia
- níveis mais baixos de educação
- grupos étnicos negros ou do sul da Ásia
- nutrição e dieta deficientes
- sedentarismo
- obesidade
- transtornos decorrentes do uso de bebidas alcoólicas
- terapia contendo estrogênio
- apneia obstrutiva do sono
- uso de substâncias ilícitas
- enxaqueca
- hiper-homocisteinemia
- lipoproteína(a) elevada
- estados hipercoaguláveis
- proteína C-reativa elevada
- placas no arco aórtico
Diagnostic tests
1st tests to order
- TC de crânio sem contraste
- glicose sérica
- eletrólitos séricos
- ureia e creatinina séricas
- enzimas cardíacas
- Hemograma completo
- eletrocardiograma (ECG)
- tempo de protrombina e TTP (com INR)
Tests to consider
- análise toxicológica sérica
- RNM dop crânio
- Angiotomografia
- Imagem ponderada por perfusão de TC ou RNM
- ultrassonografia de carótidas
- ecocardiograma
Treatment algorithm
suspeita de AVC isquêmico
AVC isquêmico confirmado
Contributors
Expert advisers
Matthew Jones, MD, FRCP
Consultant Neurologist
Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences
Northern Care Alliance
Honorary Senior Lecturer
University of Manchester
Manchester
UK
Disclosures
MJ is the chair of the Association of British Neurologists Education Committee (unpaid position). MJ is a faculty member of an MRCP revision course. MJ has received honoraria from Eisai for educational talks.
Rachael Power, MBChB, MRCP
Neurology Registrar
Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences
Manchester
UK
Disclosures
RP has been sponsored by Novartis to attend the International Headache Conference.
Acknowledgements
BMJ Best Practice would like to gratefully acknowledge the previous expert contributor for this topic, whose work has been retained in parts of the content:
George Ntaios, MD, MSc (ESO Stroke Medicine), PhD, FESO
Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Medical School
University of Thessaly
Greece
Disclosures
GN is on the advisory boards for, and has received honoraria, speaker fees, and research support from: Amgen, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, BMS/Pfizer, Elpen, Galenica, Medtronic, Sanofi, and Winmedica.
Peer reviewers
Kayvan Khadjooi, MD, FRCP, PGCertMedEd
Consultant in Stroke Medicine
Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Associate Lecturer
School of Clinical Medicine
University of Cambridge
Cambridge
UK
Disclosures
KK has received travel grants for conferences/speaker honoraria from Bayer, Boehringer, Daiichi-Sankyo, Pfizer, and Shire.
Peer reviewer acknowledgements
BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.
Disclosures
Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.
References
Key articles
Royal College of Physicians; Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network; Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. National clinical guideline for stroke for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Apr 2023 [internet publication].Full text
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Stroke and transient ischaemic attack in over 16s: diagnosis and initial management. Apr 2022 [internet publication].Full text
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Mechanical clot retrieval for treating acute ischaemic stroke. Feb 2016 [internet publication].Full text
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Alteplase for treating acute ischaemic stroke. Sep 2012 [internet publication].Full text
Reference articles
A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.

Differentials
- Hemorragia intracerebral
- Ataque isquêmico transitório (AIT)
- Encefalopatia hipertensiva
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- National clinical guideline for stroke for the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Stroke and transient ischaemic attack in over 16s: diagnosis and initial management
More GuidelinesCalculators
Escore de AVC do NIH
Escala de coma de Glasgow
More CalculatorsVideos
Intubação traqueal - Vídeo de demonstração
Ventilação com ressuscitador manual ("bolsa-válvula-máscara") - Vídeo de demonstração
More videosPatient information
AVC causado por um coágulo sanguíneo: prevenção de um novo AVC
AVC: tratamento
More Patient informationLog in or subscribe to access all of BMJ Best Practice
Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer