What You Need to Know about Strokes
The proper function of your brain cells requires a constant delivery of adequate oxygen and glucose levels from your bloodstream. When blood supply to parts of your brain is disrupted in any way, your brain cells may die, thus causing a stroke. There are several ways in which blood flow can be disrupted and a stroke can occur.
Artery blockage is among the most common causes of stroke, and this can occur from a number of possible causes as well. The narrowing of the small arteries in your brain can lead to blockage, which can affect a small part of your brain such that the tissues in that area die. Another possible cause of arterial blockage is the hardening of your arteries that lead to the brain, which is commonly known as atherosclerosis.
In some cases, blood clots form within the heart, which carries a potential for them to break off and travel to the brain arteries, thus causing damage. A ruptured artery can also cause a stroke due to cerebral haemorrhage, or bleeding in the brain. This is often brought about by extremely high blood pressure. In other cases, aneurysms can leak or rupture and lead to bleeding in the brain as well.
The most common risk factors for stroke are high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, smoking, and advanced age. Heart rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation and heart valve diseases may also be the cause of the condition. When the condition occurs in younger individuals, a risk factor that needs to be considered is the use of illegal drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines. There may also be some individuals who are unfortunate enough to have an inherited predisposition to abnormal clotting.
The symptoms of this condition depend largely on the area of the brain that is directly affected as well as the amount of brain tissue that has been damaged. The five major signs of the condition are the following:
- A sudden numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of your body. This may also be accompanied by the loss of voluntary movement, which can either be partial or complete. Sometimes the affected area may also tingle a bit.
- A sudden confusion or difficulty in understanding and speaking. Drooling can also result from a weakness in your facial muscles.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both of your eyes.
- Sudden difficulty in walking, a loss of balance and coordination, as well as sudden dizziness.
- A sudden and severe headache without any known cause.
Tissue Plasminogen Activator (TPA) is a common treatment for the condition because it is an effective clot-busting drug. There is, however, a narrow window of opportunity for using this drug. The earlier it is given, the better the result you will get and the less potential there will be for bleeding to occur. Heparin and aspirin are also used to treat the condition because they are known anticoagulants. Your doctor might also recommend the management of other medical problems that may have caused the condition. What is most important is for you to consult your doctor so that you know exactly how to deal with your stroke.
