In the intensive care unit (ICU), patients are monitored continuously for after-effects of the stroke post-treatment. An MRI is usually done at or around 24 hours to determine the extent of the stroke that is still present and if there are remnants of the originating clot.
In younger patients, the brain is at more risk when swelling occurs because it is physically larger. As people age, the brain naturally atrophies, giving it a small amount of room to swell in the event of a stroke. Patients are also carefully observed for signs of brain edema; that risk subsides after about five days.
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