got stroke?

STROKE

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted depriving the tissues of oxygen and food and thereby injuring or permanently damaging these cells.

Strokes are divided into ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Ischemic strokes are caused by the blockage of blood vessels supplying the brain. This can be due to fatty deposits known as plaques or it can be caused by blood clots traveling from the heart or other parts of the body to the narrow arteries in the brain.

Hemorrhagic strokes develop when the brain blood vessels burst and are unable to supply the cells with enough nutrients. Common causes of these strokes include high blood pressure and swellings in the blood vessel walls known as aneurysms.

Risk factors:

Common risk factors include diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, family history of stroke, clotting disorders, alcohol dependence, elicit drug use

Symptoms

Symptoms of a stroke include numbness or paralysis of one side of the face, one arm or leg. This can result in drooping of one side of the mouth when the person tries to smile and drifting of one arm downwards when they try to raise their hands above their head.

Some patients with strokes also develop slurred speech, become confused and have difficulty understanding the spoken word. Other patients experience trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance and coordination. A sudden severe headache, which may be accompanied by vomiting and blurred or double vision, is another symptom of stroke.

Diagnosis

Diagnostic tests done on patients with a stroke include a computerized tomography scan (CT scan) which utilizes a series of x-rays to create detailed brain images. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans which use radio waves, can also be done to reveal the areas of the brain that have been damaged by the ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.

Cerebral angiograms can also be done in patients with strokes. In this medical procedure the doctor inserts a thin tube in the groin and guides it to the arteries which supply the brain. Dye is then injected into this tube to reveal any blockages or leaks when the x-rays are taken.