To elaborate why a CT scanner is really really important in this case - there are two general kinds of strokes. Ischemic strokes are caused by a blood clot occ

To elaborate why a CT scanner is really really important in this case - there are two general kinds of strokes. Ischemic strokes are caused by a blood clot occluding an artery, preventing blood from reaching part of the brain. On the other hand, hemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding within the brain. We can use thrombolytic drugs (e.g. TPA) to break up a clot in an ischemic stroke. However, impairing clotting in a hemorrhagic stroke just makes it bleed faster.