Head position showdown: flat or elevated after stroke?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria 1. Age ≥ 18 years 2. Meeting the diagnostic criteria for acute ischemic stroke according to the "Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke 2023": ①Acute onset, ②Focal neurological deficits, with a few having global neurological deficits, ③Imaging shows a corresponding lesion or symptoms/signs persist for more than 24 hours, ④Exclusion of non-vascular causes, ⑤Brain CT/MRI excludes cerebral hemorrhage 3. Meeting the criteria for severe ischemic stroke patients: severe neurological deficits at admission \[for example, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score≥15\] 4. First-time diagnosed ischemic stroke patients who undergo thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy reperfusion treatment 5. Time from onset to randomization within 24 hours 6. Informed consent obtained and signed by the patient or their family Exclusion Criteria 1. Known pregnancy or breastfeeding, or positive pregnancy test before randomization 2. Expected survival time less than 3 months (such as with malignant tumors, severe cardiopulmonary diseases, etc) 3. Already participating in other interventional clinical studies that may affect outcome assessment 4. Other situations deemed by the investigator as unsuitable for participation in this study or that may pose significant risks to the patient (such as inability to understand and/or comply with study procedures and/or follow-up due to mental illness, cognitive or emotional disorders) 5. Presence of brain midline shift or herniation, ventricular mass effect 6. Patients with limited head elevation (or patients unable to cooperate with postural intervention due to their condition/recovery needs, etc.) 7. Presence of respiratory infection symptoms such as fever, cough, or sputum production at the time of admission