• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.181-189
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• 2003

Background : Patient, family, society and country are badly damaged by stroke (CVA : cerebrovascular accident). To reduce sequelae and return rapidly to society, treatment in the acute stage is very important. In many studies on purgation therapy (下法) used in acute stages of stroke, the changes of blood pressure, pulse and so on before and after purgation therapy were reported. However, the changes in the human body according to the day elapsed after defecation were not reported, so study was needed to confirm such changes. Methods : Seventy-six patients were studied. We observed forty-three patients at acute stroke and thirty-three patients at convalescent stroke. To confirm the importance of regular defecation in stroke patients, we analyzed blood pressure according to the day elapsed after defecation. Results : The following result were obtained. 1. In stroke group, compared with the day after defecation, the mean blood pressure of the third day after defecation increased. It increased the most in the acute stroke group. 2. Especially in stroke and acute stroke groups, compared with the second day after defecation, the mean systolic blood pressure of the third day after defecation increased significantly. 3. In the infarction group, compared with the day after defecation, the mean blood pressure of the third day after defecation increased. It increased the most in the acute infarction group. 4. Especially, in the infarction and acute infarction groups, compared with the second day after defecation, the mean systolic blood pressure of the third day after defecation increased significantly. Conclusion : In stroke patients, regular defecation is important, so we think that purgation therapy (下法) is needed in stroke patients over the third day elapsed after defecation. We think that the bowel movement control in acute stroke patients is more important than in convalescent stroke patients.