Stroke

Kimberly Ponce Gonzalez

● Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the US.
● Sometimes called a “brain attack.”
● It is where the brain cells die abruptly die from from either a
rupture of an artery to the brain or if the blood supply is
“blocked” or interrupted.
● There are three types, which are: Ischemic Stroke, Hemorrhagic
Stroke, and Ischemic Transient Attack.
 Ischemic Stroke
● Occurs in the blood vessels where there is either a blockage in the arteries or it
narrows down, which gravely deducts the amount of blood flow to the brain.
● Thrombotic Stroke and Embolic Stroke are the most common Ischemic Strokes
Thrombotic Stroke
● Thrombotic stroke is when a thrombus configures into one of the arteries that goes to
the brain. The thrombus could be caused by fatty deposits or “plaque” that builds up
over time and by this, it causes the blood flow to be obstructed.
● Is responsible for almost 50 percent of all strokes.
Embolic Stroke
● it occurs is when a clot forms in other parts of the body. The clot can get loose and
then dislodge itself from the part of the body it was latched onto and then travel to
the brain through the bloodstream.
● The blocks are called emboli. Just like a thrombus it can form plaque and even air
bubbles.
Thrombotic Stroke and Embolic Stroke
 Hemorrhagic Stroke
● It can occur when a weak blood vessel is ruptured and the blood flow leaks around or
into the brain.
● Intracerebral and Subarachnoid are the two types of Hemorrhagic Strokes
● It occurs when small intracranial vessels are destroyed, because of the pressure it was
put under.
● The subarachnoid is a part in between the skull and brain and is full of cerebrospinal
fluid. It protects the brain by acting as a cushion. If blood flows into this area it
damages the brain cells by having too much pressure put onto it and inflames the
lining of the brain. While this happens, the blood flow is suddenly obstructed in the
artery, causing the subarachnoid stroke.
● Worldwide, ranges from 10-20 cases per 100,000 population and increases with age.
● Higher in men than women.
The Differences
 Transient Ischemic Attack
● Called “mini strokes”
● it doesn’t cause permanent damage and only lasts a couple of minutes.
● It is caused by a blood clot blocking the flow of blood supply and stops the nutrients
from entering into the brain.
● People who get Transient Ischemic Attack are more likely to get an actual stroke
between a half of a year to a year.
 Population
● Each year, about 795,000 people in the United States have strokes, and of these
incidents, 137,000 of the people die.
● Three-quarters of strokes occur in people over the age of 65 and risks of having one
doubles over the age of 55
● Strokes occur in African Americans more than Americans. Hispanic Americans and
Native Americans are at a higher risk than Americans but less than African
Americans
● The biggest areas of being more likely to have a stroke is in the Southern Eastern
parts of the United States.
 Lower Chances in having a Stroke
● Too much vitamin A, E or calcium may actually increase stroke risk, while research
has failed to prove vitamin C reduces risk.
● Deficiencies in B vitamins increase stroke risk
● Potassium can lower stroke risk because of blood pressure
● Specific foods that may help reduce your stroke risk include dark chocolate, coffee,
tea, fish and fruit, while red meat might increase risk.
 Treatment
● Depends on what kind of stroke it is
● Ischemic Stroke treatment is to remove the clot which can be a medication like
Alteplase IV r-tPA
● If medication isn’t a choice then a physical removal of the clot can be done which is
called endovascular procedure or “mechanical thrombectomy.”
● Hemorrhagic Stroke treatment has to stop the bleeding so physically the doctor inserts
a catheter into an artery all the way into the brain and inserts a coil to stop the rupture.