Stroke

What is a Stroke?

A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain. This can be due to ischemia (lack of blood supply) caused by thrombosis or embolism or due to a hemorrhage. As a result, the affected area of the brain is unable to function, leading to inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, inability to understand or formulate speech or inability to see one side of the visual field

A stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is suddenly interrupted. There are two types of strokes. When the arteries carrying blood to the brain are abruptly blocked, it is called an ischemic stroke. When a blood vessel bursts and blood seeps into the brain tissue it is known as a hemorrhagic stroke.

Ischemic stroke - In an ischemic stroke, blood supply to part of the brain is decreased, leading to dysfunction of the brain tissue in that area.

Hemorrhagic stroke - Intracranial hemorrhage is the accumulation of blood anywhere within the skull vault.

Thrombotic stroke - In thrombotic stroke, a thrombus (blood clot) usually forms around atherosclerotic plaques. Since blockage of the artery is gradual, onset of symptomatic thrombotic strokes is slower.

Embolic stroke - An embolic stroke refers to the blockage of an artery by an embolus, a travelling particle or debris in the arterial bloodstream originating from elsewhere.

Stroke Symptoms

According to neurologists, if a stroke can be immediately recognized and medical attention made available within three hours, it is normally possible to reverse the effects, often completely. The problem is that strokes are often unrecognized since most people are unaware of the symptoms.

A severe stroke, if not treated in time, can result in death. Even is the stroke is not fatal, it may cause neurological damage that will the leave patient incapacitated for life. The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body. Even if other organs fail, the brain may continue to keep functioning. But when the brain stops functioning completely - brain death - the other organs have nothing control them and gradually die also.

The effects of a stroke depend on the location of the obstruction - which part of the brain is deprived of blood - and the amount of tissue damage.

One side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body and also specific organs, so a stroke occurring in the right side of the brain could result in, among others:

Paralysis of the left side of the body

Problem with vision

A sudden change in behavior

usually rapid erratic movement

Loss of memory

A stroke in the left side of the brain may cause:

Paralysis to the right side of the body

Problem in speaking, incoherent speech

Memory loss

Slow uncertain body movements

Warning signs of a stroke are:

Any sudden weakness or numbness of the face or the limbs, especially on one side of the body

Sudden severe headaches with no discernible cause

A sudden onset of confusion

being unable to talk, speaking in an unclear or garbled manner, speaking illogically

Inability to understand what is being said

Trouble is seeing or focusing, with both or just one eye

A sudden onset of dizziness, loss of balance, uncoordinated physical movements or trouble in walking.

Remember that these symptoms maybe transitory, as in the case of the lady at the party. Do not ignore any of these symptoms even if these seem to disappear in a few seconds or minutes and the person appears to be fine. If a stroke has occurred, brain damage need not be immediately apparent and may signs may surface after some hours, by which time it may be too late to help.

There is a simple and medically approved way to see if a person has suffered as stroke. It is called STR and is worth remembering. STR stands for:

Smile - ask the person suspected of having had a stroke to smile.

Talk - ask the person to speak a simple sentence: describe what kind of car he owns or where he lives.

Raise - ask the person to raise his arms above his head.

Doctors suggest one other way to know if a person has suffered a stroke - ask the person to stick out his tongue. If his tongue is not straight or droops or slants to one side rather than coming straight out of his mouth, it is an indication of a stroke.

If the person has difficulty in performing any one of these tasks, it is more than likely he has suffered a stroke and medical help should be IMMEDIATELY called for.

Until help arrives, caring for a stroke victim is limited to offering support to the victim. But this is important and may prevent further deterioration of the condition while waiting for medical help. - If there is someone available with CPR training, the victim's circulation, breathing and airway should be checked as per standard CPR procedure.

The paramedics should be briefed, when they arrive, on symptoms observed and action taken.

Lay the victim down flat with the head and shoulder slightly raised to reduce the blood pressure in the brain

If the victim is unconscious, gently roll him so he is lying on his left side and pull the chin forward. This will help to keep the airway open and allow any vomit to drain and not hamper the breathing.

If the victim is conscious speak reassuringly and offer all the positive support you can. Keep saying that help is on the way.

Never give a stroke victim any thing to eat or drink. The throat may be paralyzed and they may choke.

Strokes are the third largest killers in America, after heart disease and cancer.

There is a relationship between high blood pressure, snoring and strokes.

Various systems have been proposed to increase recognition of stroke by patients, relatives and emergency first responders. Sudden-onset face weakness, arm drift, and abnormal speech are the findings most likely to lead to the correct identification of a case of stroke.

Further Information Regarding Stroke

World Stroke Day - 29 October 2009
The theme of this year's World Stroke Day on 29th October is "What can I do?". As the World Stroke Organization says, everyone can do something: learn to recognise symptoms and take action, learn to recognise the risk factors and take action.

Most Stroke Victims Arrive at Hospital Too Late for Drug Therapy
Most stroke patients arrive at the hospital too late to take advantage of a clot-busting drug that significantly reduces stroke symptoms and lessens the chance of permanent disability, according to researchers at the Yale School of Public Health.

Severe Stress can Cause Stroke
Many patients urgently admitted to hospital with cerebral infarction state that they were under great stress over a prolonged period prior to suffering their stroke.

Stroke Telemedicine Recommended for Arizona
A call is placed from a remote participating hospital emergency department to one of the on-call "hub" vascular neurologists, who is equipped with a smart phone and a laptop with a webcam. This allows the physician to be located anywhere - while performing a telemedicine consultation and review of brain CT scans with the patient and physicians in the rural emergency room.

Previous Exercise Helps Stroke Patients Recover Faster
This study is one of the first to examine if the benefits of exercise extend beyond stroke prevention. Researchers looked at data collected by scientists at four centers - Mayo Clinic's campuses in Jacksonville and in Rochester, Minn.; the University of Florida and the University of Virginia.

Risks and Outcome of Stroke Not the Same in Males and Females
Congress is expected to take up legislation this summer aimed at improving the nation’s healthcare system. Whatever the shape of the final bill, it will have at least some impact on one of the three leading causes of death in the U.S.: stroke. Stroke typically occurs when arteries become blocked, preventing blood from flowing to the brain. When the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen, brain cells die and long-term brain damage results.

Canadians with Irregular Heartbeat Five Times More Likely to Have a Stroke
Heart and Stroke Foundation report reveals: Up to a quarter of a million Canadians with irregular heartbeat five times more likely to have a stroke - and twice as likely to die from one.

Cerebrovascular Disease - Facts, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Cerebrovascular disease, also referred to as stroke, affects about 1.2 to 2.5 out of every one-hundred thousand children every year. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states the over one-hundred and sixty-two thousand cerebrovascular-related deaths occurred in America in 2003 alone; the majority of them among persons age sixty-five and older.

Stroke Survivors Improve Balance with Tai Chi
Suffering a Stroke can impair balance, heightening the risk of a debilitating fall. But a University of Illinois at Chicago researcher has found that stroke survivors can improve their balance by practicing the Chinese martial art of tai chi.

Options After Suffering Stroke
Choosing to have aggressive brain surgery after suffering a severe stroke generally improves the patients lives and allows them to live longer, according to research by neurologists at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Cell Type Limits Stroke Damage
A research team including Serge Rivest of University Laval's Faculty of Medicine has demonstrated the existence of a type of cells that limits brain damage after a stroke. The study was recently published in the online version of Nature Medicine.

Childhood Stroke Causes and Information
The most common reported risk factors for stroke in children include coagulation disorders, arterial dissection, cardiac disorders, sickle cell disease, moya moya, infection, and other rare childhood genetic disorders.