Frequently Asked Questions
This section lists Frequently Asked Questions so you can
quickly find answers to your questions. Select a question of interest from
the Frequently Asked Questions listing below:
Q: What is a stroke?
A: A stroke is a sudden
loss of neurological function resulting from either occlusion of a vessel or
rupture
of a vessel that typically supplies oxygenated
blood to the brain.
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Q: Is there more than one
kind of stroke?
A: Yes, there are two types
of stroke.
• An ischemic stroke occurs when the blood
supply to a part of the brain is blocked. This interruption
within the vessel causes cells to
die because they are no longer receiving oxygen and nutrients.
About 80% of strokes are ischemic strokes.
• A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery
in the brain bursts and there is bleeding. This can
come about as the result of the rupture
of an aneurysm or an arteriovenous malformation (AVM).
Twenty percent of strokes are of
the hemorrhagic variety.
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Q: What is a Transient
Ischemic Attack (TIA)?
A: Transient ischemic attacks
(TIAs) are often early warning signs of a more serious and debilitating
stroke. About one-third of all strokes are preceded
by one or more "mini-strokes," known as
(TIAs). TIAs can occur days, weeks or months before
a stroke. The symptoms typically come
on quickly and last a relatively short time, anywhere
from a few minutes to several hours, and
there is complete recovery within 24 hours. TIAs
are caused by temporary interruptions in the
blood supply to the brain. An example of a TIA might
be if you experience weakness in an
arm or leg or have a loss of vision that disappears
with complete resolution within a short time.
Since TIAs are temporary it is easy to ignore them
believing the problem has resolved.
However, it is dangerous to ignore TIAs, because
the underlying problem that caused the TIA
continues to exist.
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Q: How common is stroke?
A: Stroke is the third
most common cause of death in United States. It is the most common cause of
disability of all conditions in adults.
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Q: Who is at risk for a
stroke?
A: Patients at risk include
but are not limited to those with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes,
previous stroke, family history of stroke, and obesity.
Smoking and oral contraceptives also
increase risk.
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Q: What are the symptoms
of a stroke?
A:•
Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially if it is on just
one side of the body.
• Confusion - inability to speak or understand speech
• Sudden dizziness and/or loss of balance
• Sudden visual disturbance in one or both eyes
• Drooping eyelid
• Difficulty swallowing
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Sudden and severe headache typically described
as "the worst headache of my life"
• Change of consciousness i.e. sleepy, stupor, or
comatose.
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Q: What kind of neurological
function is lost following a stroke?
A: Although stroke occurs
within the brain it can affect any area of the body. The impairment of function
resulting from injury to the brain caused by a stroke
varies greatly. The type of impairment
depends on the severity and location of the stroke.
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Q: What are the problems
associated with a hemorrhagic stroke?
A: •
Elevated intracranial pressure
• Vasospasm or a narrowing of the cranial vessels
• Rebleeding.
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Q: How does an aneurysm
develop?
A: It is not entirely clear
why an aneurysm develops. They are not very common, occurring in only a small
percentage of the population. There is a structural
weakness in the vessel wall and this causes that
section of the vessel to stretch over time and create
an aneurysm.
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Q: How is an aneurysm diagnosed?
A: Most aneurysms go unnoticed
until they rupture and bleed. If a patient bleeds from an aneurysm he/she
typically complain of the "worst headache of my
life". This alerts the physicians to the possibility of a
ruptured aneurysm. Some of the diagnostic studies
include:
• lumbar puncture
• Computerized Tomography (CT
scan)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI)
• Magnetic Resonance Angiography
(MRA)
• angiography.
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Q: What are the treatment
options for an aneurysm?
A:
If an aneurysm is unruptured
and not causing symptoms it may be left untreated. This is a decision that
can only be made after careful evaluation and consultation
with your physician. Ruptured aneurysms
may be treated with an Endovascular procedure called
embolization, using coils to fill the aneurysm,
or with the surgical procedure called a craniotomy
to clip the lesion and exclude it from the cerebral
circulation.
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Q:
Can a stroke be prevented?
A: Some risk factors of
stroke can be addressed by a change in life style.
These may include the following:
• Stop Smoking
• Blood pressure control, which may include blood
pressure medication
• Regular medical check ups, especially if one
has had a prior stroke
• Compliance taking medication(s) ordered by
your physician
• Weight loss as necessary
• Discontinue use of oral contraceptives.
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Q: What are the risk factors
that cannot be changed?
A:
•
age
• sex
• race
• family or individual history of stroke or TIA.
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