Cerebrovascular Disease/Stroke
Cerebrovascular disease, or stroke, is a collection of illnesses and disorders that affect blood vessels in the brain, resulting in a sudden interruption of blood supply to brain cells and tissues. When brain cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrition, they begin to die very instantly. If the deprivation continues for a long time, irreversible brain damage may result. Stroke is the fifth greatest cause of mortality in the United States, with around 795,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Different Types of Strokes
Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are the two most common forms of stroke. Ischemic stroke is the most frequent type of stroke in the United States, accounting for around 80% of all stroke cases. It happens when a clot in a brain artery suddenly stops blood flow to the brain. When blood arteries in the brain burst, causing bleeding and hemorrhage in the brain tissues, hemorrhagic stroke develops. Intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhages are two types of hemorrhagic strokes. Blood pours straight into the brain tissues during an intracerebral hemorrhage, creating compressions. Subarachnoid hemorrhage, on the other hand, happens when bleeding occurs in the membrane that surrounds the brain.
Symptoms and Signs of a Stroke
Symptoms vary depending on where the blockage is located and how severe the impact is. Unexpected bodily paralysis or numbness, along with severe headache, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, slurred speech, confusion, and loss of balance when walking, are all common indications and symptoms of stroke. Strokes frequently affect only one side of the body.
Complications, Causes, and Risk Factors
Stroke can be caused by a variety of factors, including arteriosclerosis, or the narrowing of arteries. The pressure of blood flow is increased by narrowed arteries, resulting in a rupture. A thrombosis or an embolic arterial clot, which occurs when a blood clot forms in an artery that delivers blood to the brain, can also cause a stroke.
All strokes cause irreversible damage to brain tissues and can result in death or disability. A small stroke known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) happens when blood flow to the brain is temporarily disturbed. The symptoms of a TIA are transient, lasting less than an hour. The portion of the brain damaged and the time of deprivation, on the other hand, define the severity of a stroke. Unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, alcohol and drug addiction, and underlying illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and sickle cell anemia are all risk factors.
Stroke Diagnosis and Treatment
Because strokes are unpredictable, identification necessitates a medical examination of symptoms prior to the onset of the attack. The patient’s medical history, together with a physical and medical examination, aids in diagnosis. The type of stroke determines the treatment. Blood thinners are often used to treat ischemic stroke because they help break the clot and restore blood flow. Drugs that lower blood flow pressure in the brain produced by bleeding are used to treat hemorrhagic stroke. Surgery may be done to remove the clot and mend the burst vessels in an emergency.
References
“9. Cardiovascular disease and risk management,” Diabetes Care 40.Supplement 1 (2017): S75-S87. American Diabetes Association.
“Data Mining for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction,” by Bárbara Martins and colleagues. 1–8 in Journal of Medical Systems, Vol. 45.1, 2021.
“Risk factors, mortality, and timing of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke with left ventricular assist devices,” Frontera, Jennifer A., et al. 36.6 (2017): 673-683 in Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.
References
American Diabetes Association. “9. Cardiovascular disease and risk management.” Diabetes care 40.Supplement 1 (2017): S75-S87.
Martins, Bárbara, et al. “Data Mining for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction.” Journal of Medical Systems 45.1 (2021): 1-8.
Frontera, Jennifer A., et al. “Risk factors, mortality, and timing of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke with left ventricular assist devices.” The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 36.6 (2017): 673-683.
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