Poor dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle, substance abuse — all of these could potentially cause a stroke.
Stroke refers to rapidly developing loss of brain functions
Chronic diseases like heart attack, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes cause millions of deaths worldwide. In medical terminology, the term chronic refers to a disease or malady which has developed gradually and that continues, reoccurs or persists over a long period of time. A chronic disease is generally hereditary or is the result of factors like poor dietary habits and filthy living conditions, using stimulants like tobacco, nicotine or other harmful addictive substances, or a sedentary lifestyle.
What is a stroke?
Stroke is the third common cause of death worldwide, after coronary heart disease and cancer. A stroke is a medical emergency and can lead to permanent neurological damage, complications, and even death. A stroke (sometimes referred to as cerebrovascular accident (CVA)) is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions owing to inadequate blood supply to the human brain. Within no time, brain cells begin to die. Brain blood flow is impaired by clogging or rupture of an artery to the brain.
Risk factors associated with stroke:
- Arterial hypertension
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Hyperlipedaemia (a term used to denote raised serum levels of one or more of total cholesterol.)
- Polycythaemia (a rare blood disease in which your body makes too many blood cells).
- Thromobocythaemia (blood disorder characterized by the production of too many platelets in the bone marrow).
- High alcohol consumption
- Mental stress
- Oral contraceptives
- Hereditary factors.
Causes of a stroke:
Clogging of an artery of the brain by a thrombosis causes insufficient supply of blood and oxygen and can ultimately lead to a stroke. Typically, a clot – consisting of cholesterol and calcium deposits on the arteries – forms in a blood vessel that has been narrowed because of hardening of the artery. When a blood clot resides in an artery of the brain, it stops or minimises the flow of oxygen-rich blood. A cerebral haemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and bleeds into the brain tissues in its proximity. This also leads to an instance of a stroke.
All the above causes of stroke lead to inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain tissues and its consequent death. The first cause of stroke is called ischemic stroke which is the most common type of stroke while the other cause is called hemorrhagic type of stroke. Also, “mini-stroke” aka transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) occur when blood supply to the brain is partially blocked.
Symptoms of a stroke:
- A person affected by a stroke starts to feel abrupt weakness in the arms, legs, etc.
- Starts to have trouble seeing objects
- Severe headaches
- Drowsiness
- Has trouble speaking or understanding or breathing.
The symptoms, generally depend on the area of the brain affected. The larger the affected area of the brain, the more functions are likely to be hampered. A person displaying these symptoms should be taken to a hospital immediately.
Treatment for a stroke:
Drug therapy with blood thinners is the most common treatment for a stroke.
