STROKE

 

Stroke:

 A stroke is also referred to as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, thus causing the death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. Strokes are also very dangerous as they may lead to serious disability or even fatal in some cases hence are associated with rush healthcare.

 

 Types of Stroke:

1.      Ischemic Stroke: This type happens when a blood clot enters the brain or when an artery is narrowed or blocked to allow little blood to reach the organ.

2.      Hemorrhagic Stroke: It is this type that occurs when a blood vessel that is weak gives way and starts to bleed in the surrounding brain matter.

3.      Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): It is also known as a “transient ischemic attack,” or TIA, and it results from a clot that is temporary. The symptoms are self-limiting and most commonly last for less than one day.

Signs and Symptoms:

Some examples include: unpleasant experiences such as: persistant headaches; confusion; sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

Disorientation, slurring or stuttering of speech.

Vision loss in one or both eyes.

Headache of the worst kind with no definite history of how it started.

Problems with walking, dizziness / vertigo / loss of balance or coordination.

 Causative Factors:

  Hypertension: Strokes could be caused by hypertension among other symptoms.
 Atrial Fibrillation: Any irregularity in the heartbeat also means the increase in formation of blood clots and puts one at a risk of stroke.
  Smoking: Tobacco use has got an additive effect on smoking cigarettes and is capable of impairing the blood vessels and leading to formation of blood clots.
 Diabetes: Uncontrolled or unwell managed diabetes results to complications that affect blood vessels.
  High Cholesterol: High cholesterol levels warrant cause for concern since they are known to cause atherosclerosis that would lead to stroke.


 Prevention:


  Healthy Diet: Balancing the nutritive value of food taken in meals by taking more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat.
  Regular Exercise: Doing exercise on preeminently all the days of the week.
  Maintain a Healthy Weight: There are several favourable and unfavourable which includes obesity being one of the main threats to the occurrence of stroke.
  Quit Smoking: The studies show that the quitting smoking greatly minimizes the chances of a stroke.
  Manage Chronic Conditions: Managing sometime chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

 Management:

Ø  Pharmacological Treatment:

 Clot-busting drugs: It is a proven treatment that can dissolve blood in the ischemic stroke, if it is administered within a certain amount of time using tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).

 Antiplatelet drugs: Others include drugs such as aspirin that may be used in prevention of blood clots.

 Anticoagulants: It is worth stating that these medications can be used to prevent blood clots in situations such as atrial fibrillation.

Ø  Non-pharmacological Treatment:

 Physical Therapy: Enables a patient to regain certain motor functions and muscle strength that he or she has lost.

 Speech Therapy: Helps to regain skills of speaking and communication.

 Occupational Therapy: Helps in early mobility and in retraining for daily living.

 Lifestyle Changes: Adhering to measures which serve to decrease chances of repeat strokes.

 Complications of Stroke:

 Physical Impairments: Some of the symptoms are inability to move some parts of the body, muscle weakness and problem in coordination.

 Communication Issues: Problems on language in terms of speaking and understanding it including aphasia, dysarthria, and more.

 Cognitive Challenges: Cognitive impairment especially memory, impaired problem solving and reasoning.

 Emotional Changes: Stress and other related disorders such as depression, anxiety and mood swings.

 Secondary Stroke: Strokes raise that risk and, after someone has had one, the odds are higher of have another one.

 

 

 Conclusion:

 Strokes refer toayo clinical conditions that ought to be addressed as soon as possible from the moment that they are identified. It is important to be aware of the types of stroke, their warning signs, and symptoms which makes it important to continue reading through this article. The following some preventive steps that can help in reducing risk of stroke and its complication are: • A healthy diet coupled with regular physical exercise helps in reducing weight and lowering blood pressure levels, blood cholesterol level, blood sugar level and indeed helps to lead a healthy life away for such conditions . • Knowledgeable and regular medical check-up and following doctor advise can also reduce stroke risk since early detection and proper treatment of such conditions as hypertension, diabetes, high levels If any sign of stroke is noticed then, it is advisable to visit a doctor and gain prompt treatment to reduce the severity of the stroke as much as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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