Learning how to deal with a stroke is one of the most important things that anyone can do. With nearly 800,000 people a year suffering from this type of attack your knowledge could actually save a life. Because time is of the essence, recognizing the signs and symptoms of a stroke early could make a major difference in the quality of life for a victim. Here are a few basic things that everyone should know about stroke causes, tests and treatments.
Possible Causes of a Stroke:
Strokes are caused by a restriction or blockage of blood flow to the brain. That blockage could be caused by a number of different things. Nearly three-fourths of all strokes are the result of a clot forming in a blood vessel or what’s called an embolus. These are called ischemic attacks. Symptoms of this type of stroke usually appear as sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, sudden dizziness that can lead to the inability to walk, and blurred or double vision.
The other one-fourth of strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain, called a cerebral hemorrhage as a result of a burst aneurysm or a weakened blood vessel. When a person suffers from this type of stroke, the condition is extremely severe and the chances of survival are drastically reduced with a fatality rate of 40%.
Diagnosing a Stroke:
It’s not always easy to tell if someone is having a stroke. Once a patient is brought into the emergency room the medical staff will typically do a CT scan, which is a series of x-rays that will show if there is any bleeding in the brain and it will also tell if the stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic with an MRI. Other tests that may be done are an ECG or an EKG to see if there is also an associated heart problem. The results of these tests will determine not only if you’ve had a stroke but the type of stroke you’ve had so that the proper treatment can be started as soon as possible.
Possible Treatments:
The last thing you need to know about stroke causes, tests and treatments are the different ways medical professionals will handle a stroke case. Treatment for a stroke must be administered as soon as possible after symptoms appear. It is the only way to minimize the long-term effects and perhaps even save a life.
Treatment for Ischemic Stroke:
The only treatment approved by the FDA for ischemic strokes is tissue plasminogen, which dissolves the clot so that the blood flow to the brain can resume. If this treatment is started within 3 hours the patient will have a pretty good chance of recovery.
Treatment for Hemorrhagic Stroke:
The use of endovascular procedures may be an effective way to treat a hemorrhagic stroke. This treatment involves inserting a catheter through a major artery in the leg or arm where it can deposit a mechanical coil to prevent a rupture.
Dealing with a stroke is a difficult and frightening ordeal for anyone but that does not mean that you are powerless when it happens. By recognizing the stroke causes, tests and treatments and taking the right action you may have the power to save a life.
