How is a stroke diagnosed?
The first test the doctor will do in the emergency room is a CT scan of the head. This can show if there is bleeding in the brain. You may also have an MRI.
Other tests recommended for ischemic stroke include:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG) to check for heart problems.
- Blood tests to help your doctor make choices about your treatment and to check for conditions that may cause symptoms like those of a stroke. Tests may include:
- Complete blood count (CBC).
- Blood sugar.
- Electrolytes.
- Liver and kidney function.
- Prothrombin time and INR (a test that measures how long it takes your blood to clot).
Tests you may have later
If it seems that you may have a narrowing of a carotid artery, your doctor may want you to have a:
- Carotid ultrasound/Doppler scan to evaluate blood flow through the artery.
- Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA).
- CT angiogram.
- Carotid angiogram.
If your doctor believes that the stroke may have been caused by a problem with your heart, you may have an echocardiogram or Holter monitoring or a telemetry test.
Guidelines recommend that risk factors for heart disease also be assessed after a stroke to prevent disability or death from a future heart problem. This is because many people who have a stroke also have coronary artery disease.
