Stroke
Alternative Names:
Brain attack, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke
Definition:
A stroke results when the brain does not receive an adequate amount of blood and the affected area cannot function properly.
Symptoms:
Patients experiencing a stroke may demonstrate a myriad of symptoms dependent upon what area of the brain is affected. Most patients experience symptoms quickly without any prior indication of the onset of a stroke. Symptoms may stop or continue to progress, but any stroke is considered a medical emergency. Symptoms of a stroke include seizure, nausea or vomiting, difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking, difficulty reading or writing, headache, loss of balance and coordination, tingling or numbness, sudden confusion, vision alterations, coma, unconsciousness, changes in level of alertness, difficulty moving or loss of fine motor skills.
Exams/Testing:
To understand the cause of a stroke and diagnose the condition, a patient may undergo certain tests including a neurological exam or an eye exam to check for the presence of swelling as a result of pressure in the brain. Initially, a doctor will examine a patient to see whether an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke occurred to administer the proper medication. Additional tests performed include an angiogram of the patient’s head to locate the blood vessel that is blocked or bleeding, CT or MRI scan of the head, heart monitoring tests, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram or blood clotting and blood count tests.
Outlook/Prognosis:
The outlook for a patient who experienced a stroke depends greatly on the severity of the stroke and the extent of brain damage. Recovery may take some time as unaffected areas of the brain take over the function of the damaged areas.
Causes (specific drugs):
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