Everything You Need To Know About Strokes

Hi everyone! In this week's blog post, I'll be talking about strokes.

What Is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs when there is a blockage of the blood vessels that interrupts or reduces the supply of blood to the brain. When a stroke occurs, the brain does not receive the proper amount of oxygen or nutrients that it needs. As a result, some brain cells start to die.

A stroke is a cerebrovascular disease, which means that the blood vessels that give the brain oxygen are affected. A stroke is a medical emergency. Although some strokes are treatable, many can result in disability or death.

The different kinds of strokes

There are two different kinds of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.

Ischemic strokes are caused by an interruption of blood supply to the brain. However, hemorrhagic strokes are caused by a leaking of blood to the brain. Burst arteries in the brain can cause hemorrhagic strokes. The photo below describes an ischemic stroke:

Watch this video for more information on the different types of strokes:

Treatment

Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes both require different treatments since they have different causes and effects to the body.

Ischemic strokes treatment

The treatment for ischemic strokes focuses on restoring a good flow of blood to the brain. The treatment starts with taking drugs that break down clots and prevent new clots from forming. A doctor may prescribe the patient with blood thinners, such as aspirin, or an injection of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), which is extremely effective in dissolving clots.

Hemorrhagic strokes treatment

Treatment for hemorrhagic strokes focuses on controlling the bleeding and reducing pressure on the brain. The treatment usually begins with taking drugs that reduce pressure in the brain and that control overall blood pressure. Also, surgeons can repair some of the problems with the blood vessels that have led to or can cause hemorrhagic strokes.

Prevention

One can prevent a stroke by making healthier lifestyle changes. These changes include:

• eating a healthier diet

• maintaining a healthy weight

• exercising

• avoiding alcohol

• not smoking

Eating a healthy diet means including healthy foods such as:

• fruits

• vegetables

• whole grains

• nuts

• seeds

It is important to limit the amount of processed and red meat. To add, cholesterol and saturated fats should be limited.

Other measures one can take to prevent the risk of strokes include:

• controlling blood pressure levels

• managing diabetes

• getting heart disease treatment

Causes of Strokes

Each stroke has a different set of potential causes. However, a stroke is generally more likely to affect a person if they:

• are overweight or struggle with obesity

• are 55 years old or older

• have a family or personal history of strokes

• have high blood pressure

• have diabetes

• have high cholesterol

• have heart disease

• consume an excessive amount of alcohol

• smoke regularly

• take drugs

Furthermore, studies have shown that males have a higher risk of death from strokes than females.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms of strokes include:

• a headache

• numbness or inability to move

• vision problems

• difficulty walking

• dizziness

Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope that you have learned a little more about strokes. I'll see you next week!

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Sources

• https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-ischemic-and-vs-hemorrhagic-stroke/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20Difference%20Between%20Ischemic%20and%20Hemorrhagic,arteriovenous%20malf%20...%20%201%20more%20rows%20

• https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke