A stroke is caused by damage to a part of the brain, caused by interruption to it's blood supply or by leakage of blood through the walls of blood vessels. It is also called Cerebrovascular Accident. A stroke is a life-threatening event and can be fatal if the brain's vital supply of oxygen is disrupted. It can affect your senses, speech, behavior, thoughts and your memory. It may also result in permanent brain damage, paralysis, coma and death.

A stroke occurs when an artery of the brain bursts or becomes clogged by a blood clot, cutting off the oxygen to a part of the brain. The brain tissues that does not get enough oxygen dies within minutes. This result in the part of the body that is controlled by these brain cells not to function properly.

High blood pressure and atherosclerosis, the build up of fatty plaque in the arteries, can increase the risk of a stroke. The main types and causes of a stroke are, cerebral thrombosis, cerebral embolism and hemorrhage.

Cerebral thrombosis is a blockage by a thrombus (clot) that has built up on the wall of a brain artery. This is the most common cause of stroke. The onset is gradual and accounts for 40 to 60 percent of strokes. This tends to occur while the person is sleeping or it can happen within an hour after rising.

Cerebral embolism is also a bloskage by an embolus (clot) into an artery in the brain. The onset is sudden because of the interruption of blood flow to the brain. This accounts for 30 to 35 percent of strokes.

Hemorrhage or bleeding is the rupturing of a blood vessel. It is usually an artery in the brain. Hemorrhage is usually associated with hypertension. (high blood pressure) Stroke from cerebral hemorrhage is common after the age of 50 and recovery is usually much slower than other strokes. This kind of stroke occur most often in the day time while the person is active and accounts for 20 to 25 percent of strokes.

A stroke may happen suddenly but it is often follows by years of a slow built up of fatty deposits inside the blood vessels. About 10 percent of strokes are preceded by TIAs (transient ischemic attack) or mini strokes.These mini strokes can occur days, weeks or even months before a major stroke. They last less than 5 minutes, with symptoms similar to a full stroke. Since a large percentage of people who experience TIAs suffer full stroke sometimes within days, you should seek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing any symptom of a stroke.

Factors that contribute to a stroke include, hypertension, arteriosclreosis or heart disease, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity, lack of physical activity, overweight, a family history of strokes or a history of TIAs (mini Strokes) and chronic stress.

Symptoms of a stroke are, sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, and leg, usually on one side of the body, loss of speech, or trouble talking or understanding speech,dimness or loss of vision particularly in only one eye, unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or falls, or sudden severe headache.

To avoid stroke, you should have your high blood pressure checked regularly and keep it under control, you should eat a well- balanced diet that that is low in cholesterol and saturated fats, If you have diabetes, you should keep it well controlled, Do not smoke and you should get your regular physical exam done by your doctor.

Any stroke is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention in order to prevent brain damage. Seek emergency care if you are experiencing any sign of a stroke. Your life depends on it.


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