Stroke - American Academy of Neurology

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What Is Stroke?A stroke is caused by the sudden loss of blood flowto the brain or bleeding in or around the brain.Either can cause brain cells to stop functioning ordie. When nerve cells in the brain die, the function ofbody parts they control is harmed or lost. Dependingon the part of the brain affected, people can losespeech, feeling, muscle strength, coordination, vision,or memory. Some people recover completely; othersare seriously disabled or die.What Causes Stroke?There are two main types of stroke: hemorrhagicand ischemic. With a hemorrhagic stroke, there isbleeding in or around the brain. With an ischemicstroke, blood flow to part of the brain is blocked.Without blood flow, that part of the brain is injured.Cross Section of the BrainIschemicNarrowing ArteryBrain ArteriesBlocked Blood FlowBlood ClotHemorrhagicBloodAroundthe BrainBrain ArteriesRuptured Aneurysm
Eighty percent of strokes are ischemic. Ischemicstrokes can be caused by narrowing of the largearteries to the brain or the small arteries within thebrain. Ischemic strokes can also be caused by clots thatblock blood flow to the brain. There are many otherpossible causes of ischemic stroke. The lack of normalblood flow to brain cells sets off a chain reaction.When blood cannot get to the brain, cells begin to diewithin minutes. Quick medical treatment is essentialto prevent the damage from spreading to a larger areaof the brain where blood flow might be reduced butnot completely cut off.Hemorrhagic strokes involve bleeding around or intothe brain. Although there are many possible causesof hemorrhagic stroke, they are most commonlycaused by:• Weak spots in brain arteries, called aneurysms,that burst and cause blood to cover the brain• Small blood vessels within the brain that breakWhat Are the Symptoms?Stroke strikes fast. You should, too. Call 9-1-1. Strokesymptoms can vary. They can start slowly or come onquickly. You may wake up with the symptoms. Actquickly if these symptoms come on SUDDENLY:• Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg,especially on one side of the body• Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes• Trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balanceor coordination• Severe headacheDid you know?Neurologists are medical doctors who specializein disorders of the brain and nerves. They oftendiagnose and treat people with stroke.
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Stroke - American Academy of Neurology

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