ISCHEMIC STROKE: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE ISCHEMIC CASCADE, ETIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION, REPERFUSION STRATEGIES, NEUROPROTECTION, AND SECONDARY PREVENTION IN CONTEMPORARY NEUROLOGY

Conclusion: Ischemic stroke management has been transformed by acute reperfusion strategies with proven efficacy, but the narrow therapeutic time window demands stroke system organization—comprehensive stroke centers, pre-hospital triage protocols, and 24/7 thrombectomy capability—that remains incompletely developed in many healthcare systems. Secondary prevention through dual antiplatelet therapy, high-intensity statins, anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation, and aggressive vascular risk factor control offers the most durable means of reducing recurrent stroke risk.