Stroke is defined as a syndrome of rapid onset neurological deficit caused by focal cerebral, spinal or retinal infarction or hemorrhage.
It is a serious life-threatening medical condition which happens when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off.
Like all other organs, the brain also needs oxygen and nutrients in order to maintain its normal functions. Therefore, if the blood supply to the brain is compromised, brain cells begin to die.
Based on the etiology, there are two major types of strokes.
Ischemic stroke, which occurs as a consequence of blood vessel obstruction, accounts for about 85% of all the cases of stroke.
Obstruction can occur due to thrombosis, or formation of blood clots in the vasculature, large artery stenosis, and small vessel disease.
Hemorrhagic stroke on the other hand occurs when a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts and subsequently bleeds into the area.
Hemorrhagic strokes account for around 10% of all the cases of stroke.
Common instances where hemorrhagic strokes can occur include head trauma, uncontrolled high blood pressure, overdosing of anti-coagulant drugs, ruptured brain aneurysms, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy.
Approximately 5% of strokes are caused by other diseases like arterial dissection, venous sinus thrombosis, and vasculitis.
There is also a related condition called Transient Ischemic Attack, or TIA, where the blood supply to the brain is temporarily interrupted. This causes what is known as a Mini stroke. It can last a few minutes or persist up to 24 hours.
Transient ischemic attacks are often a warning sign of having a full stroke in near future. Therefore, these patients should be evaluated to prevent such events.
Several factors contribute to an increased risk of stroke, including the following.
Obesity.
Physical inactivity.
Alcohol consumption & smoking.
Use of illegal drugs such as cocaine & methamphetamine.
High blood pressure.
High blood cholesterol levels.
Uncontrolled diabetes.
Obstructive sleep apnea.
Cardiovascular diseases such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure and heart defects.
Family history of strokes.
Increasing age.
Male gender.
And certain medications such as hormonal birth control pills.
Signs and symptoms of a stroke depends on which part of the brain is affected.
Following are some important signs & symptoms of a stroke.
Trouble speaking & slurred speech.
Inability to understand what others say, also known as inability to comprehend.
Paralysis or numbness of the face, arms, or legs. This often affects just one side of the body. In addition, one side of the mouth may drop when the patient is trying to smile.
Vision problems such as blurred vision & double vision may also occur.
Moreover, many patients experience a sudden, severe headache which may be accompanied by vomiting, dizziness, and altered consciousness.
Established strokes may give rise to several complications that cannot be reversed back to normal with medical or surgical therapy.
Some of these complications include the following.
Paralysis or loss of muscle movements on one side of the body.
Difficulty in talking or swallowing.
Memory loss, thinking, reasoning, and understanding difficulties.
Emotional problems & depression.
Changes in behavior & self-care ability.
Diagnosis of a stroke can be made with a CT scan of the brain.
In addition, blood glucose level is also checked immediately after presentation.

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