Stroke medicine terminology: imprecise, wordy, and misleading

Excerpt

About 2400 years ago, Hippocrates coined the term “ἀποπληξία” (stroke) for the sudden impairment of cerebral functions and subsequent deficits. Since then, we continue to use this term for a syndrome that has a broad variety of etiologies, is triggered by various brain pathologies, and bears a high risk of permanent disability and death. It is questionable whether the term “stroke” is advantageous for the development of effective treatment [1]. The differentiation between brain ischemia and hemorrhage by brain tissue computed tomography (CT) and the identification of arterial disease by digital subtraction and CT angiography finally enabled effective ischemic stroke treatment and prophylaxis. Nevertheless, current stroke terminology still reveals uncertainty when describing imaging findings in ischemic stroke patients. In this commentary, we reflect on the imprecise, wordy, and misleading terms used in stroke diagnostics and treatment and recommend more precise terminology. …