Stroke

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Stroke symptoms      Ischemic stroke      Hemorrhagic stroke

Risk factors for stroke     Effects of stroke     Preventative factors for stroke

Stroke symptoms

Scientific research conducted by the national Institute of neurological disorders and stroke(NINDS) has identified warning signs and a large number of risk factors. If you observe one or more of these signs of stroke don't wait, call 911 right away.

1) sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg(most common) in one side of

the body.

2) sudden dizziness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye .

3) sudden difficulty in speaking or understanding speech.

4) unsteadiness or sudden falls.

5) sudden headache without an apparent cause.

6) double vision, drowsiness, nausea or vomiting.

Like the heart, the brain also needs a constant supply of oxygen rich blood. Basically, when there's a deficiency of blood supply to a portion of the brain a stroke results. A stroke of any kind is an extreme medical emergency and prompt treatment is necessary. There are several types of strokes. We will discuss the 2 common types 1) Ischemic 2) Hemorrhagic

Ischemic stroke

Account for 80% of all strokes. They occur when a blood clot plugs an artery leading to the brain and blood supply is cut off. Ischemic stroke can be broken down into three parts. 1) ischemic itself in nature 2) thrombotic 3) embolic. The majority of strokes occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of oxygenated blood to a portion of the brain. A stroke that is caused by a blood clot inside the artery of the brain is called a thrombotic stroke and a stroke that occurs due to a clot that forms somewhere else in the body and travels to the brain is known as embolic stroke.

Ischemic stroke causes

Ischemic strokes can occur due to injury to the neck or head, atherosclerosis(hardening) of arteries of the head or neck(most common form) or blood clots in the heart.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Is not caused by a clot but will occur when an artery bursts within the brain and causes blood to leak inside the brain increasing pressure within the brain that may lead to death. This type of stroke is also called intracerebral hemorrhage.

Hemorrhagic stroke causes

It can occur due to head injury, or high blood pressure(most common cause), infections and blood clotting problems.

Risk factors for stroke

Risk factors for stroke include: 1) high blood pressure 2) high cholesterol 3) diabetes 4) carotid artery disease 5) cigarette smoking 6) excessive alcohol 7) physical inactivity and obesity 8) aging 9) gender - men have more strokes than women 10) previous history of stroke (interesting fact - the southeastern United States also called the "stroke belt" has a higher occurrence of strokes) 11) season and climate - deaths due to stroke occur more during extremely cold or extremely high temperatures 12) socio-economic factors - people with lower income and education levels have a higher risk for stroke 13) race - African-Americans have higher stroke risk than other racial groups. About 5 million stroke survivors are alive today with permanent stroke related disabilities. 

Effects of stroke

Due to stroke, the brain cells become damaged and no longer work. The consequences of stroke are very devastating to individuals and their families. Due to stroke, paralysis of a side of the body usually occurs, if the speech centers in the brain are affected, the ability to speak and comprehend speech may be severely impaired. If the memory centers are affected then memory loss is imminent, memory loss can be temporary or lasting, this would depend on the severity of the stroke. Injured brain cells cannot heal or replace themselves, mild recovery can come from months of medical treatment, rehabilitation therapy and determined effort by the stroke survivor. In majority of the cases, survivors never regain all their lost functions. Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability.

Preventative factors for stroke

1) high blood pressure - this is by far the most potent risk factor for stroke, work with your physician and pharmacist to bring it within normal range. Cut down on salt intake, eat fruits and veggies to increase potassium and other vitamins and minerals in the diet, exercise, lose weight and maintain it. Click the link for more info on blood pressure. (please consult your physician to discuss options)

2) cigarette smoking - is linked to the buildup of fatty substances in the carotid artery, the main neck artery supplying blood to the brain. A blockage of this artery is a leading cause of stroke in the USA. Smoking raises blood pressure and carbon monoxide from smoking reduces the amount of oxygen the blood carries to the brain. This is yet another reason to quit smoking.

3) heart disease - common heart problems like coronary artery disease, an enlarged heart and irregular heartbeats can result in blood clots either by blocking the blood flow or increasing the pressure within the artery, giving way to a burst or leak. Click the link for more info on heart disease.

4) diabetes - if blood glucose levels are high at the time of stroke, brain damage is more severe and extensive than when glucose levels are within normal range. Click the link for more info on diabetes.

5) high cholesterol - can be controlled by exercise and watching what you eat. Click the link for more info on cholesterol.

6) cut down on drinking excessive alcohol - ie no more than 2 drinks per day, The "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommend that women should limit their alcohol to no more than 1 drink a day. A drink counts as 1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof or 1 ounce of 100-proof whiskey, 5 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer (regular or light). Quitting altogether is obviously the best option.

Many of the risk factors for stroke can be managed. By knowing the risk factors and controlling them you can lower the risk of disability or death from stroke. The good news is that scientists at the NINDS predict that, with continued attention and by using currently available therapies and developing new ones we should be able to prevent 80 percent of all strokes by the end of this decade.

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