12/06/2015

Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - Medical News Today

Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

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Last updated: Tuesday 26 May 2015

Stroke

86

Knowledge center

Neurology / Neuroscience

Stroke is the 4th leading cause of death in the US, with

one person dying every 4 minutes as a result.
Approximately 800,000 people have a stroke each year;
about one every 4 seconds. Only heart disease, cancer and

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chronic lower respiratory diseases are more deadly. 1-3

Strokes occur due to problems with the blood supply to the
brain; either the blood supply is blocked or a blood vessel
within the brain ruptures. A stroke is a medical emergency,
and treatment must be sought as quickly as possible.
There are three main kinds of stroke; ischemic strokes,
hemorrhagic strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs),
also referred to as mini-strokes. There is a separate
Knowledge Center page for transient ischemic attacks.
Contents of this article:
1.

What is stroke?

2.

What causes stroke?

3.

Signs and symptoms

4.

Tests and diagnosis

5.

Treatment and prevention

You will also see introductions at the end of some sections to any recent developments that have been
covered by MNT's news stories. Also look out for links to information about related conditions.
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Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - Medical News Today

Fast facts on stroke

Here are some key points about stroke. More detail and supporting information is in the main article.
During a stroke, the brain does not receive enough oxygen or nutrients, causing brain cells to die.
There are three main kinds of stroke: ischemic strokes, hemorrhagic strokes and transient
ischemic attacks.
Ischemic strokes are caused by a narrowing or blocking of arteries to the brain.
Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by blood vessels in and around the brain bursting or leaking.
Strokes need to be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible in order to minimize brain
damage.
Remembering the F.A.S.T. acronym can help with recognizing the onset of stroke.
Treatment depends on the type of stroke.
Ischemic strokes can be treated with 'clot-busting' drugs.
Hemorrhagic strokes can be treated with surgery to repair or block blood vessel weaknesses.
The most effective way to prevent strokes is through maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

What is stroke?4
Stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is either interrupted or reduced. When this happens, the
brain does not get enough oxygen or nutrients which causes brain cells to die.

Strokes occur due to problems with the blood supply to the brain; either
the blood supply is blocked or a blood vessel within the brain ruptures.

There are three main kinds of stroke; ischemic, hemorrhagic and TIA. This article will focus on ischemic and
hemorrhagic strokes, as there is a separate Knowledge Center article for TIAs, which goes into specific detail
about them.

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Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - Medical News Today

In the US, approximately 40% of stroke deaths are in males, with 60% in females. According to the
American Heart Association (AHA), in 2006, the stroke death rates per 100,00 population could be split into
specific social groups at 41.7% for white males, 41.1% for white females, 67.7% for black males and 57.0%
for black females. 3
Stroke is also more likely to affect people if they are overweight, aged 55 or older, have a personal or family
history of stroke, do not exercise much, drink heavily or use illicit drugs. 5

What causes stroke?

The different forms of stroke have different specific causes.

Ischemic strokes4
Ischemic strokes are the most common form of stroke, with around 85% of strokes being of this type. They are
caused by the arteries that connect to the brain becoming blocked or narrowed, resulting in ischemia severely reduced blood flow.
These blockages are often caused by blood clots, which can form either in the arteries connecting to the brain,
or further away before being swept through the bloodstream and into narrower arteries within the brain.
Clots can be caused by fatty deposits within the arteries called plaque.

Hypertension can lead to blood vessel ruptures and hemorrhagic

strokes.

Hemorrhagic strokes4,6
Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by arteries in the brain either leaking blood or bursting open. The
hemorrhaged blood puts pressure on brain cells and damages them. Blood vessels can burst or spill blood in
the middle of the brain or near the surface of the brain, sending blood into the space between the brain and
the skull.
The ruptures can be caused by conditions such as hypertension, trauma, blood-thinning medications and
aneurysms (weaknesses in blood vessel walls).
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Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - Medical News Today

Transient ischemic attack (TIA)4,6

TIAs are different from the aforementioned kinds of stroke because the flow of blood to the brain is only
disrupted temporarily for a short time. They are similar to ischemic strokes in that they are often caused by
blood clots or other debris.
TIAs should be regarded as medical emergencies just like the other kinds of stroke, even if the blockage of the
artery is temporary. They serve as warning signs for future strokes and indicate that there is a partially
blocked artery or clot source in the heart.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over a third of people who experience a TIA
go on to have a major stroke within a year if they have not received any treatment. Between 10-15% will have a
major stroke within 3 months.

Recent developments on stroke causes from MNT news

Common inflammatory disorder increases heart attack, stroke risk
People who have polymyalgia rheumatica - a common inflammatory disorder among seniors that causes
pain and stiffness - are more at risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to a new study published in
CMAJ.
Psychological stress 'increases risk of stroke'
Depressive symptoms in particular, but also chronic stress in life, increase the risk of older people
having a stroke or transient ischemic attack, says researchers, who found feelings of hostility, but not
anger, were also a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.
Heavy drinking in midlife increases stroke risk 'more than diabetes'
It is well known that high blood pressure and diabetes can raise the risk of stroke. But a new twin study
finds that, for middle-aged individuals, there may be one factor that increases this risk even more:
heavy alcohol consumption.

Signs and symptoms 7-9

Strokes occur quickly, and as such their symptoms often appear suddenly without warning. The main
symptoms are as follows:
Confusion, including trouble with speaking and understanding
Headache, possibly with altered consciousness or vomiting
Numbness of the face, arm or leg, particularly on one side of the body
Trouble with seeing, in one or both eyes
Trouble with walking, including dizziness and lack of co-ordination.
Strokes can lead to long-term problems. Depending on how quickly it is diagnosed and treated, the patient can
experience temporary or permanent disabilities in the aftermath of a stroke. In addition to the problems listed
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Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - Medical News Today

above continuing, patients may also experience the following:

Bladder or bowel control problems
Depression
Pain in the hands and feet that gets worse with movement and temperature changes
Paralysis or weakness on one or both sides of the body
Trouble controlling or expressing emotions.

On the next page we look at how to diagnose a stroke, plus the treatment and prevention of strokes.

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Copyright: Medical News Today
References

1.

CDC Stroke , accessed 31 July 2014.

2.

CDC Leading Causes of Death , accessed 31 July 2014.

3.

AHA Impact of Stroke (Stroke statistics) , accessed 31 July 2014.

4.

Mayo Clinic Causes , accessed 31 July 2014.

5.

Mayo Clinic Risk factors , accessed 31 July 2014.

6.

CDC Types of Stroke , accessed 31 July 2014.

7.

CDC Stroke Signs and Symptoms , accessed 31 July 2014.

8.

Mayo Clinic Symptoms , accessed 31 July 2014.

9.

CDC Recovering From Stroke , accessed 31 July 2014.

10.

AHA Spot a Stroke: Stroke Warning Signs and Symptoms , accessed 31 July 2014.

11.

Mayo Clinic Tests and diagnosis , accessed 31 July 2014.

12.

Mayo Clinic Treatment and drugs , accessed 31 July 2014.

13.

CDC Stroke Treatments , accessed 31 July 2014.

14.

AHA What Is an Arteriovenous Malformation? (AVM) , accessed 31 July 2014.

15.

Mayo Clinic Coping and Support , accessed 31 July 2014.

16.

Mayo Clinic Prevention , accessed 31 July 2014.

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Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - Medical News Today

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