The exact treatment depends on what caused your stroke, but generally involves both immediate and long-term measures. Immediate stroke treatment For ischaemic strokes, the blood clot needs to be dissolved using medication, or removed. Small blood clots may be dissolved with medication. Large clots usually require brain surgery such as endovascular clot retrieval (mechanical thrombectomy), where a catheter is threaded up your blood vessels to find and remove the clot. For haemorrhagic strokes, immediate treatment involves intensive blood pressure control and surgery to relieve swelling from bleeding in the brain, or to repair the ruptured blood vessel. Long-term stroke treatment Treatments to prevent another stroke or TIA include: medication, to lower blood pressure and cholesterol or to thin your blood surgery, to increase the flow in your carotid artery (in the front of your neck) lifestyle improvements, such as good nutrition, regular exercise and quitting smoking.