Stroke
From Life Done Right SeniorWiki
A stroke, sometimes called a "brain attack," occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. When a stroke occurs, brain cells in the immediate area begin to die because they stop getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to function. There are two major kinds of stroke.The first, called an ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel or artery in the brain. About 80 percent of all strokes are ischemic. The second, known as a hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by a blood vessel in the brain that breaks and bleeds into the brain. About 20 percent of strokes are hemorrhagic.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the spaces surrounding brain cells. Brain cells die when they no longer receive oxygen and nutrients from the blood or there is sudden bleeding into or around the brain. The symptoms of a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble with walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination; or sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Although stroke is a disease of the brain, it can affect the entire body. A common disability that results from stroke is complete paralysis on one side of the body, called hemiplegia. A related disability that is not as debilitating as paralysis is one-sided weakness or hemiparesis. Stroke may cause problems with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory. Stroke survivors often have problems understanding or forming speech. A stroke can lead to emotional problems. Stroke patients may have difficulty controlling their emotions or may express inappropriate emotions. Many stroke patients experience depression. Stroke survivors may also have numbness or strange sensations. The pain is often worse in the hands and feet and is made worse by movement and temperature changes, especially cold temperatures.
Recurrent stroke is frequent; about 25 percent of people who recover from their first stroke will have another stroke within 5 years.
Related Links
- American Health Assistance Foundation
- American Stroke Association
- Brain Aneurysm Foundation
- Brain Attack Coalition
- Hazel K Goddess Fund for Stroke Research in Women
- Heart Rhythm Foundation
- National Aphasia Association
- National Stroke Association
- Stroke Clubs International
Related Books
- After a Stroke: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier by Cleo Hutton
- The Stroke Recovery Book: A Guide for Patients and Families by Kip Burkman
- Stroke: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management by J. P. Mohr
- Stroke and the Family: A New Guide (The Harvard University Press Family Health Guides) by Joel Stein, M.D.
- Living With Stroke: A Guide for Families by Richard C Senelick
- Brain, Heal Thyself: A Caregiver's New Approach to Recovery from Stroke, Aneurysm, And Traumatic Brain Injuries by Madonna Siles
- Stroke For Dummies by John R. Marler, M.D.
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