Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) PART I Stroke (CVA)

The Stroke (CVA) is also known as cerebral infarction or stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. About 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year. One American dies of a stroke every four minutes on average.

Call 911 immediately if you believe that a person may have one. Receive prompt medical treatment is important to prevent death and stroke result of a disability.

You can prevent stroke or reduce risks by switching to a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, medications can reduce the risks as well.

What is Stroke (CVA)?

To understand what a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), you need to understand something about the brain. The brain controls our movements; stores our memories; and is the source of our thoughts, emotions, and language. The brain also controls many body functions such as breathing and digestion.

The brain needs oxygen to function properly. Although the brain is only 2% of their body weight, it uses 20% of the oxygen you breathe. The arteries carry oxygenated blood to all parts of your brain.

Brain cells begin to die within minutes when you do not get oxygen to happen something that interrupts the flow of blood. This is called a stroke. A sudden bleeding in the brain can also cause a stroke if brain cells are affected. A stroke can cause permanent brain damage, long-term disability or even death.

If brain cells die or have been affected by a stroke, symptoms begin to show damage in parts of the body controlled by brain cells.

What are the types of cerebrovascular accident (CVA)?

The main types of stroke are:

Ø  ischemic stroke.

Ø  hemorrhagic stroke.

Ø  transient ischemic attack (a warning or "mini-crash").

Ø  PART I Stroke (CVA)

Ø  ischemic stroke.

Most strokes (85%) are ischemic accidents. If you have an ischemic stroke, the artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain is blocked.

Usually, blood clots cause obstructions that lead to ischemic stroke.

Hemorrhagic stroke.

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain leaks or ruptures blood. Pooled blood causes too much pressure on the brain cells, which causes them damage.

Hypertension and aneurysms, bulges in an artery that can stretch and burst, are examples of conditions that can cause a hemorrhagic stroke.

There are two types of hemorrhagic stroke:

Intracerebral hemorrhage. It is the most common type of hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when an artery in the brain, flooding the surrounding tissue with blood breaks.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage. It is a less common type of hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when there is bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover it.

transient ischemic attack (TIA)

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is sometimes called a "mini-crash". It is different from the main types of stroke because the cerebral blood flow is blocked only for a short period of time, usually no more than 5 minutes.

PART I Stroke (CVA)

It is important to know that:

Ø  A TIA is a warning sign of a stroke may happen in the future.

Ø  TIA is a medical emergency, like a stroke more severe.

Ø  Stroke requires emergency medical attention. Call 911 immediately if you have symptoms of a stroke or if you see symptoms in people who have around.

Ø  There is no way to know with full security if symptoms of any type of stroke.

Ø  As ischemic strokes, blood clots can also cause transient ischemic attacks.

Ø  More than a third of people who suffer a transient ischemic attack (TIA) ends up having a major spill within 1 year if not treated.

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