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When I was in high school, my biology teacher recommended that I participate in a summer program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. I discovered that science and engineering could be used to develop new technologies and help people, and I decided to pursue a career in medicine. I chose to specialize in vascular neurology because of opportunities to improve the treatment of stroke.

At �ٺ���Ƶ’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, I treat patients who are hospitalized for a stroke. I manage several types, including hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when a weakened blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds.

I also care for patients who are at risk of having a stroke. They may have a genetic disorder that can cause recurrent strokes or cervical arterial dissection, a condition that can lead to stroke in young adults. In addition, I manage vascular dementia and migraine headaches that may increase the risk of stroke.

Some people have cerebrovascular malformations, which are rare conditions in which blood vessels in the brain develop abnormally, increasing a person’s stroke risk. I treat people who have arteriovenous malformations, which is when blood vessels are enlarged and twisted, and those who have dural arteriovenous fistula, which is when an abnormal connection between blood vessels occurs in the brain’s covering, or dura mater. I also manage cerebral cavernous malformations, which are clusters of enlarged and irregular blood vessels in the brain.

When a person has an ischemic stroke, which is caused by a clot that blocks an artery in the brain, I may prescribe tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), a medication that dissolves the clot. I can also prescribe an intravenous medication that can enhance the effectiveness of TPA. I work with neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists to determine when it is appropriate to perform a procedure removing a blood clot from a blood vessel in the brain.

Our stroke team—which includes vascular neurologists, emergency room doctors, neuroradiologists, and neurosurgeons—communicates well, which benefits patients. I take time to explain a condition and the recommended treatment to allay patients’ fears. When appropriate, I refer patients to �ٺ���Ƶ’s Rusk Rehabilitation to help them recover from a stroke. I am proud when a person is doing well and can leave the hospital.

I help patients who have had a stroke reduce their chances of having another. To prevent recurrent strokes, I prescribe medication for risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I also recommend lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and exercise.

In addition to caring for patients, I conduct research. I am developing a device that regulates blood flow in the brain and may help reduce a person’s chances of having another stroke. In addition, I am investigating an antiplatelet medication that may help prevent clots from forming in the brain and causing additional strokes.