A cerebrovascular accident is commonly referred to as a stroke or "brain attack." The brain requires nutrients carried by blood, specifically oxygen and glucose; without these nutrients, the brain cells (neurons) begin to die. The main causes of stroke are a blocked artery or a bleeding artery, both of which pose potential dangers to the brain. Blockage of the carotid arteries in the neck impedes or prevents blood traveling from the heart to the brain, which does not allow oxygen to reach the neurons. A blood vessel or artery that bleeds into the brain causes a hemorrhage and damages parts of the brain, resulting in the loss of abilities that are controlled by affected areas.
Causes and Risk Factors
Leading risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Men are at a higher risk than women for forming clots, which could lead to a stroke. External factors such as cigarette smoking and head trauma also can increase the risk of stroke in both genders.
Symptoms
Call 911 immediately if you or a loved one experiences any stroke symptoms. Most of the damage caused by a stroke can be prevented with prompt medical attention. Stroke symptoms are often confused with other illnesses, increasing the potential for brain damage and health problems. Time is of the essence in stroke treatment --- report all information to the medical team, including the time symptoms began.
Stroke victims experience the sudden onset of headaches, weakness on one side of the body, confusion, dizziness, speech and visual problems, and loss of coordination or balance. Serious symptoms include nausea and vomiting, seizures and loss of consciousness.
Prevention
What can you do to prevent stroke? Reduce your risk factors. For example, if your blood pressure is consistently over 120/80, ask your doctor about medications that might help control your blood pressure. You can also decrease your risk of incident by quitting cigarette smoking. Diabetes is on the rise in the United States, as is evidenced by the increased incidence of obesity. Healthy eating, exercise, and sometimes medicine are required to control blood glucose levels. Based on your risk factors, age, and health, your doctor could recommend a blood thinner such as aspirin to reduce your prospect of blood clots. Surgical prevention is usually reserved for extreme cases --- only your cardiologist can make that decision.
References
- American Heart Association
- Basic Pathology; Robbins; 2003
