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Disease
First and foremost, what is stroke? Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke can also be defined as a condition in which the brain cells suddenly die because of a lack of oxygen. There are two major types of strokes consisting of Hemorrhagic Stroke and Ischemic Stroke. Ischemic strokes account for 80% of all strokes while Hemorrhagic Stroke accounts for 20% of all strokes.
Ischemic stroke occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked, usually by a blood clot and a portion of the brain becomes deprived of oxygen and will stop working. Ischemic stroke can be caused by several different kinds of diseases. The most common problem is narrowing of the arteries in the neck or head. This is most often caused by atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Other diseases include Infection of the heart valves, heart attack, heart failure.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in your brain leaks or ruptures. Hemorrhagic strokes are grouped according to location of the blood vessel: --Intracerebral hemorrhage: Bleeding in the brain --Subarachnoid hemorrhage: Bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover the brain Symptoms of hemorrhagic stroke include: Difficulty speaking or understanding others Difficulty swallowing Difficulty writing or reading Headache
Normal Brain
Male
Cardiovascular disease
A previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) High levels of homocysteine (an amino acid in blood) Birth control use or other hormone therapy
Smoking cigarettes
Smoking cigarettes
Cocaine use
To treat a hemorrhagic stroke you must first find the cause of bleeding in the brain and then control it. If high blood pressure is the cause of bleeding in the brain, your doctor may prescribe medicines to lower your blood pressure. This can help prevent further bleeding. Surgery also may be needed to treat a hemorrhagic stroke. The types of surgery used include aneurysm clipping, coil embolization (EMbol-ih-ZA-shun), and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) repair.