Palliative treatment for stroke.

Despite continued advances in prevention and treatment, stroke remains the leading cause of neurologic disability. This article reviews the broad spectrum of palliative efforts underway to treat the impairment and disability that results from stroke. Emphasis is placed on the importance of symptom control, increasing compensation, and enhancing residual and recovering function in patients with stroke. New approaches to impairment reduction have produced encouraging results, but disability reduction remains the cornerstone of care.