Stroke

Stroke

Marcus Alvarado

University of Maryland University College

Stroke

Approximately 795,000 strokes are reported in the U.S. each year, ranking No. 5 of all causes of death, in which, approximately 60% of those deaths occurred outside of a hospital (Benjamin et al., 2017). The number of adults who ever had a stroke is 6.5 million, which is 2.7 percent of all adults (“Cerebrovascular Disease,” 2017). A stroke results from an inadequate supply of blood reaching the brain which can cause brain cells to become damaged or die, signifying a serious medical emergency that can cause serious injury, disability, or death (Shiel, 2016). The risk of a stroke increases with age or family history of a stroke, but can happen to anyone (“Can You Recognize,” 2014).

What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when there is an interruption of the flow of blood to the brain (McIntosh, 2016). Brain cells die due to lack of nutrients and oxygen often caused by a hemorrhage or a blood clot (McIntosh, 2016).  Other names for a stroke are brain attack, cerebrovascular accident, ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke (“Other Names,” 2017). The two major types of strokes are ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

An ischemic stroke, the most common of the two major types, accounts for approximately 85% of all strokes (McIntosh, 2016). In an ischemic stroke, the arteries to your brain become interrupted due to plaque, a build-up of fatty deposits, causing the path within the arteries connected to the brain or narrow arteries away from the brain to become narrower or blocked, severely reducing or cutting off the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Thrombotic, when a blood clot forms in the artery of the brain, and embolic, when a blood clot or plaque travels through the bloodstream and lodges itself in an artery in the brain, are two types of ischemic stroke (“Types of Stroke,” 2017). For example, in an embolic stroke, a blood clot can occur in the carotid artery located in the neck, break off, then become lodged in a narrower artery within the brain (“Types of Stroke,” 2017).

[pic 1]

(Ischemic Stroke, n.d.)

        A hemorrhagic stroke happens if there is a leak or break in an artery that supplies blood to the brain, which can be a result of high blood pressure or aneurysms, a weak spot

in blood vessel walls that have a bubble-like bulge that pressure on the wall of the vessel (“What is a Stroke,” 2017). Leaked blood builds up in the brain, causing the brain to swell which puts pressure on the cells and damages them (McIntosh, 2016). Blood can also spill in the middle of the brain, sending blood between the brain and the skull (McIntosh, 2016). Intracerebral, when there is a rupture or leak of a blood vessel inside the brain, and subarachnoid, when the rupture or leak is of a blood vessel on the surface of the brain, are the two types of hemorrhagic strokes (“Types of Strokes”, 2017).

[pic 2]

(Hemorrhagic Stroke, n.d)

[pic 3]

(Main Types of Stroke, n.d.)

        A transient ischemic attack (TIA), also referred to as a mini stroke, has similar symptoms of a stroke but the symptoms last less than 24 hours due to a temporary blockage from a clot that is usually lodged for a few minutes, causing temporary starvation of oxygen to the brain (Tidy, 2017).

Results after a stroke may include blood clots and muscle weakness due to immobility, problems swallowing food or liquid, and loss of bladder or bowel control (“What are the Signs,” 2017), problems balancing and weakness on one side of the body, difficulties communicating, problems with vision, problems with mental processes like concentrating, learning or remembering, tiredness, and expressing emotions improperly such as crying or laughing for no reason (Tidy, 2017).

Factoring in genetics

        Although you may live a healthy lifestyle by cutting back cholesterol, exercising, eating well and watching your weight, you may be susceptible to a stroke by way of genetics, especially if a parent or close relative has experienced a stroke (MacMillan, 2015). Sickle cell disease, a treatable genetic disorder mainly affecting African American and Hispanic children, is also a risk factor for stroke due to the inability to transport oxygen through sickled red blood cells to tissues and organs, which can also lead to stroke by cells sticking to blood vessel walls (“Stroke Risks,” 2017).

Know the signs

        The symptoms of a stroke happen suddenly and can be noticed immediately, but are easier noticed by a bystander rather than the victim since the stroke affects the brain and the victim is not able to self-diagnose the problem correctly (“Questions and Answers,” 2016). If you believe someone is having a stroke, call for emergency medical assistance immediately. Don’t drive the victim to the hospital yourself, for “the emergency crew is trained to treat these symptoms, and it could mean the difference between life and death” (“Can You Recognize,” 2014).