Ischemic Stroke
Introduction
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is partially or completely reduced, depriving the brain of necessary blood and oxygen and ultimately causing brain damage. There are two main types of stroke, ischemic and hemorrhagic, but for the purpose of this paper, the focus will be on ischemic stroke. Ischemic strokes account for approximately 87% of all stoke cases and occur as the result of an obstruction within a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain. The obstruction can either be a cerebral thrombosis or a cerebral embolism. An ischemic stroke would be classified as thrombotic if the clot forms in an artery that is already very narrow. In contrast, a stroke would be classified as embolic when a clot forms in another part of the circulatory system and then proceeds to travel to brain and causes a blockage in smaller vessels. The underlying cause of ischemic strokes is atherosclerosis, which is defined the buildup of fatty deposits inside the vessel walls and it is the buildup of these fatty deposits that leads to blockages, and ultimately stroke.
Risk Factors There are many different factors that contribute to an individual’s risk of experiencing a stroke. Some risk factors can be reduced, treated, and changed, but others are more permanent and serve as lifelong risks. For instance, an example of a long term effect would be that the risk of suffering from a stroke increases with age and approximately doubles each decade after an individual reaches the age of 55. Stroke is also more common among men than women and the risk for experiencing a stroke increases if there is a family history of it as well. In contrast, factors such as poor diet, smoking cigarettes, and a lack of physical activity are risk factors for stroke that can be controlled and reduced. High blood pressure is also one of the leading causes of stroke, as well as high blood cholesterol and heart disease. These risks are typically considered high risk and are
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is partially or completely reduced, depriving the brain of necessary blood and oxygen and ultimately causing brain damage. There are two main types of stroke, ischemic and hemorrhagic, but for the purpose of this paper, the focus will be on ischemic stroke. Ischemic strokes account for approximately 87% of all stoke cases and occur as the result of an obstruction within a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain. The obstruction can either be a cerebral thrombosis or a cerebral embolism. An ischemic stroke would be classified as thrombotic if the clot forms in an artery that is already very narrow. In contrast, a stroke would be classified as embolic when a clot forms in another part of the circulatory system and then proceeds to travel to brain and causes a blockage in smaller vessels. The underlying cause of ischemic strokes is atherosclerosis, which is defined the buildup of fatty deposits inside the vessel walls and it is the buildup of these fatty deposits that leads to blockages, and ultimately stroke.
Risk Factors There are many different factors that contribute to an individual’s risk of experiencing a stroke. Some risk factors can be reduced, treated, and changed, but others are more permanent and serve as lifelong risks. For instance, an example of a long term effect would be that the risk of suffering from a stroke increases with age and approximately doubles each decade after an individual reaches the age of 55. Stroke is also more common among men than women and the risk for experiencing a stroke increases if there is a family history of it as well. In contrast, factors such as poor diet, smoking cigarettes, and a lack of physical activity are risk factors for stroke that can be controlled and reduced. High blood pressure is also one of the leading causes of stroke, as well as high blood cholesterol and heart disease. These risks are typically considered high risk and are
References: American Heart Association. (2012, October 21). Ischemic stroke (clots). Retrieved from http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/TypesofStroke/IschemicCl ots/Ischemic-Clots_UCM_310939_Article.jsp Chollet, F., & Albucher , J. (2012). Strategies to augment recovery after stroke. Current treatment options in neurology, Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22865294 Mayo Clinic. (2012, July 03). Stroke. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stroke/DS00150 National Stroke Association. (2012, August). Effects of stroke. Retrieved from http://www.stroke.org/site/PageNavigator/HOME Stroke. In (2012). U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed Health. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001740/