A Stroke..Why it is so important to read this!

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Title: A Stroke..Why it is so important to read this!

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Author: Ted Crawford

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A Stroke..Why it is so important to read this!

Copyright 2006 Ted Crawford

A stroke, also known as a CVA (cerebrovascular accident),

is a life-threatening event in which the brain’s oxygen

supply has been cut off causing problems with such

functions as speech, sensation, behavior, memory, and

thought processes. A stroke may also result in paralysis,

coma, and even death.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United

States and the second leading cause of neurological

disability after Alzheimer’s disease. The incidence of

stroke has slowly declined over the last 30 years partly

due to increased awareness of risk factors and improvement

in prophylactic measures and better surveillance of those

individuals at increased risk.

Strokes occur when an artery to the brain becomes either

blocked by a blood clot (thrombotic stroke) or when an

artery bursts due to an aneurysm (hemorrhagic stroke).

Brain tissue deprived of oxygen dies within a few minutes

causing part of the body controlled by that portion of the

brain affected to lose function.

Symptoms of a stroke can include sudden numbness and

weakness in the face, arm, and leg; usually on one side of

the body. Other signs and symptoms that can be associated

with a stroke can include difficulty talking (getting words

out), slurred speech, blurred or complete loss of vision,

usually in one eye, unexplained dizziness, or a sudden

severe headache.

Approximately 10 per cent of strokes are preceded by TIAs

(transient ischemic attacks; also called mini-strokes).

These TIAs can precede a major stroke days, weeks, or even

months before a major stroke. They frequently last less

than 5-10 minutes with symptoms similar to a stroke, but

symptoms usually completely resolve. TIAs generally do not

cause permanent damage or functional loss, but they are a

warning sign indicating that something critical is looming.

One should immediately visit their doctor or go to the

emergency department for an evaluation because a stroke can

be frequently prevented if the site of the problem is

identified and proper medical care is instituted.

A stroke usually results in varying degrees of loss of

sensation or function throughout the body determined by the

portion of the brain that has been affected. Some stroke

victims are unable to speak but everything else maybe

normal. This is because the speech area of the brain has

been damaged. Others may have right arm and leg weakness

or complete paralysis because the damage of a stroke is

usually limited to one side of the brain and each half of

the brain controls the function of the opposite side of the

body. So if a patient presents with left sided arm and leg

weakness, we know that the stroke has occurred on the right

side of the brain. An MRI or MRA scan can usually identify

where the stroke has occurred. Most of the time, strokes

are treated with medications to prevent further damage and

lessen the chances of developing additional strokes.

Sometimes a surgical intervention is required depending on

the type and location of the vessel blockage.

You can greatly reduce your risk of a stroke by eating a

healthy low fat diet, keeping your blood pressure low,

exercising, keeping your weight down, not smoking, and by

getting regular checkups and measurements of your

cholesterol levels. Elevated homocysteine levels have also

been associated with the incidence of stroke. I also

recommend that it is a good idea to take a baby aspirin (81

mg) daily if you are past the age of 50 or sooner if you

have multiple risk factors for stroke. Make sure that you

check with your doctor first before doing this as you

should not be taking aspirin if you have a bleeding

disorder or a history of peptic ulcer disease.

Treatment of stroke initially involves using thrombolytic

(clot breaking) medication and measures to prevent further

brain damage or another stroke. It is paramount in getting

patients who have had a stroke to reduce their risk factors

such as getting them to quit smoking, bringing their blood

pressure under control, and treating their lipids

(cholesterol) if those are elevated. Physical therapy and

occupational therapy are important and often required in

the management and rehabilitation of patients after a

stroke in an attempt to improve and restore motor function.

The goal of therapy is to enable the patient to gain

enough strength and motor function to be able to carry out

their activities of daily living. Speech therapy may also

be important to those patients suffering from speech

difficulties.

The most important points to take from this article are to

be aware of the seriousness of the problem, the signs and

symptoms of a stroke or an impending stroke, and to modify

your lifestyle to prevent a stroke from occurring.

About the Author:

A Stroke. Why it is so important to read this!

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