Stroke
- Investigation

Blood tests

• Blood glucose
  -> To rule out hypoglycaemia
• FBC
  -> To rule out polycythemia
• Platelet count
  -> Detect thrombocytosis or thrombocytopenia
• Coagulation studies
  -> To rule out coagulopathy
• Toxicology screening
  -> To rule out possible MI

CT (with NO contrast)

To distinguish ischaemic infarction from haemorrhage (especially if scan obtained 12 hours after onset of symptoms)

Rule out other processes (e.g. abscess, tumour, subdural or epidural haematoma).

Lumbar puncture

Indicated when SAH is strongly suspected but CT is non-diagnostic.

ECG

Detect associated atrial fibrillation and acute MI

Other tests

Include:

• Echocardiogram
• Carotid duplex scanning
• Carotid angiography
• MRI