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Stroke
Medical Questions » Stroke
| Name: Stroke |
| Also known as: Cerebral Infarct; Cerebrovascular Accident; CVA |
| An accident involving the blood vessels in the brain. If a clot, or piece of material from elsewhere in the body blocks an artery in the brain (cerebral thrombosis), or if an artery bursts in the brain, a stroke may occur. |
Causes of Stroke
The risk of stroke is higher in those who smoke, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, are diabetic, and drink alcohol to excess. |
Symptoms of Stroke
Any blood vessel in the brain may be involved, so any part of the brain may be damaged, and the area damaged determines the effects on that person' s body. The symptoms can therefore be varied. If a motor area of the brain which controls movement is affected, the patient becomes paralyzed down the opposite side of the body because the nerves supplying the body cross over to the opposite side at the base of the brain (the right side of the brain controls the left arm and leg). Other patients may lose their memory, power of speech, become uncoordinated, unbalanced, start fitting, have strange smells, hear abnormal noises or any of dozens of other possibilities. |
Tests for Stroke
The cause of the stroke can be determined by using special X-rays, CT scans, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), blood tests, tests on the fluid around the brain, and measuring the brain waves electrically (EEG). |
Treatment for Stroke
A wait-and-watch attitude is adopted in most cases, with medication given to prevent the stroke from worsening and to protect other organs. Surgery to a bleeding or blocked artery in the brain may be appropriate in some cases. Physiotherapists, speech pathologists and occupational therapists will assist in recovery. Further strokes can often be prevented by the long term use of low dose aspirin or warfarin, which prevent blood clots. Patients who are at a high risk can also use these medications.
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Complications of Stroke of its treatment
The area of the brain affected may increase as a blood clot extends along an artery, or bleeding into the brain continues. |
Likely Outcome of Stroke
It will be several days or even weeks before doctors can give an accurate prognosis. The brain does not repair itself, but it can often find different ways of doing a task and bypassing damaged areas. Most improvement occurs in the first week, but full recovery may take months. Patients who become unconscious during a stroke generally have a poorer outcome than those who do not. Strokes are the third major cause of death in developed countries after heart disease and cancer. |
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