Abstract
In this article, the authors review stroke preventive strategies in a diverse group
of conditions, namely the nonatherosclerotic cerebral arteriopathies, migraine-associated
or migraine-induced stroke, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Although these conditions
are less common causes of stroke in the aggregate, they are frequent causes of stroke
in teenagers and young adults. Aside from posing unique diagnostic challenges, their
management is limited by the absence of randomized clinical trials or high-level evidence
that is specific to these conditions. Therapeutic decision-making is largely based
on expert opinion, clinical experience, and retrospective studies; it is often empiric.
It remains uncertain whether otherwise routine secondary stroke-preventive strategies,
such as long-term antiplatelet treatment, lipid-lowering medications, and antihypertensive
agents, are applicable to patients with stroke from a cerebral arteriopathy or migraine-associated
stroke.
Keywords
ischemic stroke - migraine - cerebral arteritis - cerebral venous thrombosis - stroke
prevention
