Emergency department management of stroke in pregnant and postpartum patients.

Maternal stroke contributes to a significant burden of disease in the pregnant and postpartum patient populations, with an incidence nearly 3-fold that of comparable nonpregnant cohorts. Emergency clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for cerebrovascular injury in these patients, as rapid diagnosis and emergent management can prevent devastating neurological outcomes. Data on management of cerebrovascular injury in pregnant and postpartum patients are limited, but management of maternal stroke in the emergency department aligns closely with protocols established for nonpregnant patients. This issue discusses the risk factors associated with maternal stroke, and reviews the available evidence for emergency department management of maternal stroke, including thrombolytic and interventional therapies.

Bias in Stroke Evaluation: Rethinking the Cookie Theft Picture.

Despite a current emphasis on equity in stroke care, one of the most common stroke assessment tools that is used both nationally and internationally, includes an anachronistic image that projects cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic bias. This image, titled The Cookie Theft picture, is included in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and was originally developed in 1972. Now, 50 years later, it does not reflect our current diverse, linguistically rich, and multicultural patient population.