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Stroke - Overview
Third leading cause of Most strokes occur after
death in industrialized the age of 65
countries. More common in men
Total cost of strokes in Second greatest risk
the U.S. is roughly $43 factor is high blood
billion a year. pressure
$15,000 a year in medical Transient Ischemic
care costs during the first Attack (TIA) - Symptoms
3 months after the attack. are temporary but should
Age is the principal risk be seen as a warning sign
factor. that a stroke is likely to
occur.
Incidence
Approximately 500k Americans each year
3 million Americans have survived strokes
2 million Americans subsequently suffer
from paralysis, speech & memory loss.
Symptoms
Depends on the type Drooping of the mouth
of stroke and location Drooling
of the lesion Numbness on one side
Contra-lateral Loss of vision in one
impairment visual field (transient
monocular blindness)
Hemiparesis -
Dysarthria (slurred
weakness on one side
speech)
of the body - entire
side; face, arm, or leg
Symptoms cont’d
Visual disturbances Vertigo - dizziness,
e.g. double vision, spinning sensation,
altered visual imbalance
perception Memory difficulties
Aphasia - difficulties Behavioral or
with expressive personality changes
and/or receptive Swallowing
language; can not
name objects
Causes
Ischemic Stroke Atherosclerosis - an
85% of all strokes are accumulation of
from ischemia plaque, cholesterol,
Lack of blood flow, and blood clots forms
or major disturbance to the point of
impeding subsequent
of blood flow due to
the obstruction of a blood flow.
blood vessel
Causes cont’d
Intracranial Pt.s experience a
Hemorrhage sudden headache,
15% of strokes caused vomiting, depressed
from hemorrhage level of consciousness
(bleeding) in the brain Some symptoms are
Hypertension, caused by pressure
bleeding from tumors, associated with blood
trauma, illicit drug accumulation which is
use, high blood referred to as a
pressure hematoma
Warning Signs
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm,
or leg, especially if it is unilateral
Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or
understanding speech
Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden difficulty walking dizziness, loss of
balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause