Timeline of stroke

This is a timeline of stroke, describing especially major discoveries, developments and organizations concerning the disease.

Ancient times
Greek physician Hippocrates first recognizes stroke more than 2,400 years ago, calling the condition apoplexia. Hipocrates doesn't clarify that the condition actually happens in the brain, instead resolving into a "stagnation of the blood, whereby all the motion and action of the spirits is taken away", and that the motion is stopped by sharp humours, or a plethora (an excess of red blood cells or bodily humours). Galen (129 AD) accepts and develops the theory of Hippocrates, believing that apoplexy is caused by anything interfering with the flow of the vital spirit to the brain. The galenic theory persists for centuries.

Early modern times
British physician William Harvey (1578–1657) publishes his theory on the circulation of the blood. Others, like Wepfer (1620–1695), still believe that apoplexy is caused by an obstruction in the path to the brain, suggesting that the brain did not receive enough "animal spirits". G.G.J. Robinson theorizes that there is a "plethora of fulness of blood", therefore bleeding is acceptable since it lessens the pressure on the "animal organs". Overall, the definition introduced by Hippocrates is still in use.

1700s
Although remnants of old dogma persist, the foundations have been laid for apoplexy to shed some ancient traditions based on symptomatic presentation and to evolve into a vascular disease based on clinico–pathological and patho–physiological correlates. Bonet publishes Sepulchretum sive Anatomica Practica, which becomes a prominent resource for physicians during most of the 18th century.

1800s
The earliest known stroke treatments start to happen, when surgeons begin performing surgery on the carotid arteries. Surgeons begin operating to reduce cholesterol buildup and remove blockages that could then lead to a stroke. Reports of successful closures of injuries to the carotid arteries are documented.

1900s
Early in the 20th century, most of the treatments for stroke patients are limited to rehabilitation after an acute stroke, and most patients are usually left with permanent and severe deficits. In the 1950s new techniques and therapies are developed to explore and modify the internal processes of cerebrovascular disease. In the 1960s carotid endarterectomy is greatly improved but is used mostly for stroke prevention and there is still no effective treatment after an acute stroke. In the 1970s aspirin is found to be very effective in stroke prevention. In the 1980s cigarette smoking is found to be a definite risk factor for stroke, and smoking cessation programs become very important. In the 1990s tissue plasminogen activator starts to be used for treatment of embolic or thrombotic stroke.

2000s
Today, rapid diagnosis is crucial for immediate treatment. Stroke remains the second most common cause of death worldwide, accounting for 6.7 million deaths in 2012. From 1990 to 2010, the age-standardised incidence of stroke significantly decreased by 12% in high-income countries, and increased by 12% in low-income and middle-income countries. In the same period, mortality rates showed a significant decrease in all countries.