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Stroke - Stroke symptom, treatment, causes

Stroke is a medical term for stroke is cerebrovascular accident. 'Stroke' describes the symptoms and signs that occur when there is damage to part of the brain due to disturbance of its blood supply. Stroke may result from THROMBOSIS (the formation of clots) or an embolus (foreign matter ) in arteries supplying the brain; haemorrhage from diseased or abnormal blood vessels; or sometimes from temporary disturbances of blood flow in TRANSIENT ISCHAEMIC ATTACK or STOKES-ADAMS ATTACK, or following CARDIAC ARREST. Most strokes are due to atherosclerosis or HYPERTENSION, or a combination of both. The incidence increases with age and is higher in men than in women. Strokes in young, otherwise healthy people are most likely to be caused by embolism, bleeding after head injury, or rupture of an aneurysm (a dilatation in the vessel wall) that has probably been present since birth in a cerebral (brain) artery.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of your brain is cut off. If your brain cells do not get a constant supply of oxygen from the blood , the cells in the affected area become damaged or die. Stroke is a medical emergency. Prompt treatment of a stroke could mean the difference between life and death. Early treatment can also minimize damage to your brain and potential disability. The symptoms of a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble with walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination; or sudden severe headache with no known cause. Blood is supplied to your brain by four main arteries which then divide into smaller arteries . The amount of damage done, and the part of the brain that is damaged, depends on which artery is affected. If a small artery is affected, you may only have minor symptoms. But if a major artery is affected, it can cause severe symptoms, and even death. In the United States, stroke is a leading cause of adult disability and the third-leading cause of death; only heart disease and cancer cause more deaths annually. The good news is that many fewer Americans now die of strokes than was the case 20 or 30 years ago. Improvement in the control of major risk factors for stroke smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol is likely responsible for the decline.

Causes of Stroke

The common Causes of Stroke :

• An ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot that blocks blood flow to the brain.
• Blood-clotting disorders.
• Infection of the heart valves.
• Cerebral embolism is also caused by a blood clot.
• Another type of stroke occurs when a blood clot or a piece of atherosclerotic plaque breaks loose, travels through open arteries, and lodges in an artery of the brain
• One type of vascular malformation, an arteriovenous malformation, occurs when a tangle of blood vessels in or around the brain bypasses the normal brain tissue and directly diverts blood from the arteries to the veins.

Symptom of Stroke

Depending on the cause of the stroke, evidence of brain damage may develop suddenly over a few minutes, or gradually over hours or days. Symptoms incTude loss or disturbance of consciousness, and paralysis or disturbed function of limbs and organs on the opposite side of the body to the affected part of the brain. If all of one side of the body is paralysed the condition is called hemiplegia. If the left side of the brain (or the right side in left-handed people) is affected, speech and com prehension of language are usually impaired. Some common Symptoms of Stroke :

• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Dizziness or loss of balance or coordination.
• Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Behavioral changes.
• Mental changes and changes in thought processes associated with dysfunction.
• Loss of memory
• Swallowing difficulties.
• Weakness or paralysis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Stroke

If stroke is suspected, immediate medical attention is essential. The diagnosis can be confirmed by CATscan, which is generally also able to discover the cause. In hospital, patients may need intensive care and life support. Specific treatment to prevent further brain damage depends on whether the cause is a blockage of, or bleeding from. an artery. Bleeding from an aneurysm can often be repaired by surgery. There is usually considerable improvement over several days after any stroke, with further gradual improvement in the following weeks and months.

OUTLOOK During the first few days after a stroke the outcome is unpredictable. Overall, about 20 per cent of patients die in hospital, but the death rate is higher in older people, of the remainder about half of the patients with moderate to severe hemiplegia and most of those with lesser paralysis recover sufficiently to be able to look after themselves and walk adequately, although walking aids may be needed. Damage to intellect is unusual in those who recover, although speech may be restored only slowly. Rehabilitation is of utmost importance during recovery.

• Medical therapy alone does not greatly improve the patient's outcome.Decompressive surgery is an alternative approach to reduce this pressure.
• Clot dissolvers, such as thrombolytic agents, are most effective when used within three hours of a thrombotic or an embolic stroke.
• Generally, there are three treatment stages for stroke: prevention, therapy immediately after stroke, and post-stroke rehabilitation.
• A pre-existing condition may also need to be controlled by an appropriate medication. These may include heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, and high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).
• Large-handled silverware can be easier to grab and use if you have a weak hand.
• Canes and walkers can be used to help prevent falls.