Stroke - Symptoms And Stroke Treatment

Definition

Stroke is also known as a cerebrovascular accident or a brain attack and it is a sudden impairment or disruption of cerebral circulation in one or more blood vessels. If you have this disease, then it may diminishes blood supply and oxygen supply to the brain and commonly it may causes serious damage in brain tissues. It's the leading serious neurologic disorder and the major cause of long-term disabilities. Stroke is the third most common cause of death. Strokes may occur in younger persons, most patients experiencing strokes are over age 65.

Causes of Stroke

It may be occur from one of three causes such as :

• Thrombosis of the cerebral arteries supplying the brain or the intracranial vessels occluding blood flow
• Embolism from thrombus outside the brain, such as in the heart, aorta, or common carotid artery
• Hemorrhage from an intracranial artery or vein, such as from hypertension, ruptured aneurysm, arteriovenous malfonnations, trauma, hemorrhagic disorder, or septic embolism.

Other various risk factors that are associated with stroke include:

• Hypertension
• Cardiac disease, including arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, dilated cardiomyopathy, and valvular disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Increased alcohol intake
• Obesity, sedentary lifestyle

A thrombotic or embolic stroke causes ischemia. Some of the neurons served by the occluded vessel die from lack of oxygen and nutrients. This results in cerebral infarction, in which tissue injury triggers an inflammatory response that in turn increases intra cranial pressure (ICP). Injury to the surrounding cells disrupts metabolism and leads to changes in ionic transport, localized addosis, and free radical formation. Calcium, sodium, and water accumulate in the injured cells, and excitatory neurotransmitters are released. Consequently, continued cellular injury and swelling set up a vicious cycle of further damage.

Symptoms of Stroke

General symptoms of a stroke include:

• Unilateral limb weakness
• Numbness on one side
• Headache
• Vision disturbances
• Dizziness
• Anxiety

If you have middle cerebral artery, then symptoms that are associated with middle cerebral artery such as:

• Aphasia
• Dysphasia
• Visual field deficits
• Hemiparesis of affected side

Symptoms that are associated with carotid artery involvement include:

• Paralysis
• Numbness
• Altered LOC
• Bruits
• Headaches
• Aphasia

Complications vary with the severity and type of stroke but may include unstable blood pressure, cerebral edema, fluid imbalances, sensory impairment, infections such as pneumonia, altered LOC, aspiration, contractures, pulmonary embolism and death

Treatment of Stroke

If you have this disease, then you should be use Possible treatment such as:

• Treatment is supportive to minimize and prevent further cerebral damage. Measures include ICP management with monitoring, hyperventilation to decrease partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide to lower ICP, osmotic diuretics to reduce cerebral edema. and corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and cerebral edema, stool softeners to prevent straining which increases ICP.
• You can also treat this disease by using anticonvulsants or prevent seizures.
• Another treatment for disease is surgery for large cerebellar infarction to remove infracted tissue and decompress remaining live tissue.