Understanding Blood Pressure Changes After Stroke

Researchers at Yale University are studying how unstable blood pressure in the hours and days after a stroke affects a patient's recovery. This study will measure blood pressure carefully and use brain imaging to see if blood pressure swings are connected to how much brain damage occurs and how well patients recover from stroke.

Past research suggests that big swings in blood pressure after a stroke are linked to worse outcomes—like lasting disability or death—but most of that research was done by looking backward at old records. This study will track patients prospectively (as the stroke happens) to understand the problem better and test whether certain blood pressure medications can help reduce these dangerous swings.