subject: Some Facts & Information About Stroke [print this page] A stroke can be a very scary medical emergency. It can be life-threatening if it is not treated immediately. A stroke is the loss of blood flow to any area in the brain. The lack of blood supply to the brain is usually caused by a blocked or burst blood vessel. As a result of the lack of blood flow to the brain, the affected area will lose function. This can lead to the inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, the inability to understand or formulate speech, or the inability to see one side of the visual field. A stroke can cause permanent damage; therefore it is vitally important that stroke treatment is sought for immediately.
Strokes are classified into two different groups: ischemic and hemorrhagic. In an ischemic stroke there is interruption of blood flow to the brain. This type of stroke can happen for three different reasons. An ischemic stroke happens when there is an obstruction of a clot formed locally, because of an embolism formed somewhere in the body due to general decrease in overall blood supply. About 80% of strokes are due to an ischemic event, while the others are classified as hemorrhagic strokes. Hemorrhagic strokes happen when there is a rupture of a blood vessel or an abnormal vascular structure. Some hemorrhagic strokes will even develop inside an area of ischemia. It is unknown how many hemorrhagic strokes actually begin as ischemic strokes.
When it comes to strokes, time lost is recovery lost. Therefore it is vitally important to know the signs and symptoms of a stroke. Stroke symptoms usually start suddenly and present over seconds or minutes. The best way to remember the telltale signs of stroke is the acronym F-A-S-T. The F-A-S-T acronym stands for face, arms, speech, and time. Face means any to look for any loss of moment to the facial muscles. Arms mean to look for any changes in the ability to move an arm. Speech mans any changes in speech. And lastly, time reinforces the importance of getting treatment quickly. Quick stroke treatment is key to regaining function lost because of the stroke. A stroke is occasionally treated with a thrombolysis or clot buster medication, but usually supportive measures are used such as speech, language, and occupational therapy. These supportive treatments usually take place in a stroke unit. There are also stroke medicines that will help stroke victims to recover. To find out more about these medicines, you can do a research online.
