Acute stroke service - Consists of: a) a comprehensive stroke centre (CSC) providing hyperacute, acute and inpatient rehabilitation including thrombectomy (thrombectomy centre) and neurosurgery; or b) an acute stroke centre (ASC) providing hyperacute, acute and inpatient rehabilitation.  All components of a specialist acute stroke service should be based in a hospital that can investigate and manage people with acute stroke and their medical and neurological complications.

Alteplase - A medicine used for thrombolysis.

Angiography - A technique that uses X-ray technology to image blood vessels.

Anticoagulants - A group of medicines used to reduce the risk of clots by thinning the blood.

Antiplatelets - A group of medicines used to prevent the formation of clots by stopping platelets in the blood sticking together.

Antithrombotics - The generic name for all medicines that prevent the formation of blood clots. This includes antiplatelets and anticoagulants.

Atherosclerosis - Fatty deposits that harden on the inner wall of the arteries (atheroma) and roughen its surface; this makes the artery susceptible to blockage either by narrowing or by formation of a blood clot.

Atrial fibrillation - A heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat, often faster than the normal heart rate.

Cardiovascular disease - Disease of the heart and/or blood vessels. 

Carotid angioplasty - surgical procedure that widens the internal diameter of the carotid artery, after it has been narrowed by atherosclerosis.

Carotid arteries - Main blood vessels in the neck, which supply oxygenated blood to the brain.

Carotid stenosis - The narrowing of the carotid arteries in the neck. 

Computed tomography (CT) - An X-ray technique used to examine the brain. 

Cost-effectiveness - The extent to which the benefits of a treatment outweigh the costs. 

Doppler ultrasound - An imaging technique that measures blood flow and velocity through blood vessels. 

Gastrointestinal bleeding - Bleeding anywhere between the throat and the rectum. 

Hyperlipidaemia - Raised levels of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides or both) in the blood serum. 

Hypertension - Raised blood pressure. 

Ischemic stroke - A stroke that happens when a blood clot blocks an artery that is carrying blood to the brain. 

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - A non-invasive imaging technique that allows for detailed examination of the brain. 

MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging - This type of scan shows areas of recent ischemic brain damage. 

Stroke - A clinical syndrome, of presumed vascular origin, typified by rapidly developing signs of focal or global disturbance of cerebral functions lasting more than 24 hours or leading to death.

Thrombectomy - The excision of a blood clot from a blood vessel.

Thrombolysis - The use of medicines to break up a blood clot. An example of a thrombolysis medicine is alteplase, also sometimes called tPA.