A 65-year-old man with a history of hypertension and smoking presents with sudden weakness of the right arm and leg, slurred speech, and drooping of the right side of the face. What are the potential causes and next steps?
This patient's symptoms are indicative of an acute ischemic stroke. Immediate actions include stabilizing the patient and initiating stroke protocol, which includes a non-contrast head CT to rule out hemorrhagic stroke. If an ischemic stroke is confirmed and the patient is within the appropriate time window, thrombolytic therapy should be considered.