Strokes are caused by a block in the blood supply to the brain which causes a decrease in oxygen and delivery of other important supplies which facilitate proper functioning. Fifteen million cases are reported worldwide annually, although not all of these cases are mortalities, the large prevalence of strokes ranks it as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. (Figueroa) Because of the time sensitivity associated with the lack of resources to the brain, strokes are considered a medical emergency and early recognition of symptoms can help decrease the amount of damage caused . Although strokes do not always cause death, strokes most often leave the individual with some physical and cognitive impairment.
A stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease that affects the cerebral arteries, those blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when one of those blood vessels in the brain is obstructed or ruptures flooding the brain with blood. Depriving blood and oxygen to the brain results in those immediate cells death, causing the brain not to function properly. Once parts of the brain stop functioning, it can directly affect the areas of the body controlled (1).
Strokes are the 5th leading cause of death in the US, with one person dying every 4 minutes as a result. For African Americans, stoke is the 3rd leading cause of death.(http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm) It is estimated that About 795,000 people have a stroke each year; about one every 40 seconds - there are many medical conditions that can cause a stroke and it is estimated that 8 out of 10 strokes can be prevented. However, there are some things that cannot be controlled when you are predisposed to
Strokes are caused by pathophysiological changes. The two major mechanisms of stroke consist of ischemia and haemorrhage. Ischemia is when there is no oxygen or not, merely enough oxygen to fuel the tissue level in the body. Haemorrhage in the brain, causing strokes can be due to non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage (Shah, MD, n.d.) (see appendix 1). This essay will further discuss the implications of strokes on a cellular, organ and system level. Explain the clinical presentation of the signs and symptoms of strokes and how the condition will be managed by a paramedic.
The stroke from a blocked artery is called ischemia, and the ruptured artery is hemorrhagic. As time is critical after the cerebrovascular accident, lack of treatment will lead to brain cell apoptosis and neural injuries are permanent. Evaluation using brief tests of cognitive impairment includes analysis of executive functioning, memory, language, and visuospatial performance, neuropsychiatric as well as depressive symptoms (Grant and Adams, 2009).
Often times, doctors will typically call a stroke a “brain attack” because the events that transpire resemble those that occur during a heart attack (Wang and Aamodt, 2010). Blood supplies a constant source of oxygen to the brain. However, a stroke occurs when that blood supply to any given part of the brain is suddenly ceased. If the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted this leads to the deprivation of oxygen and glucose to that area. The brain cells that are prevented from acquiring these substances, especially oxygen, will be quickly killed off. Strokes can be categorized into two classes: Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes (Lindley, 2008).
In-depth, in-home interviews of forty-five minutes to sixty minutes were conducted with five community-dwelling individuals (three men, two women) aged 68-74 years who had experienced a stroke in the past year, followed by in-patient rehabilitation for a minimum of two weeks. Data analyzed using thematic analysis. Peer-review and peer debriefing with a co-researcher established
Stroke is the third leading cause of death, and the leading cause of adult neurologic disability in Canada. After the age of 55, the risk of stroke is doubled every 10 years (Brunner & Day, 2010). Despite advances in stroke management post stroke complications occur. Nurses must focus on developing successful strategies to promote home and community based care for victims of completed stroke in order for them to resume their daily life as safely and independently as possible. Strategies must target prevention of future strokes, since a stroke survivor has a 20% chance of having another stroke within 2 years, and care management after the cerebrovascular accident. Effective strategies must be aimed at restoring patient’s independence by improving physical, mental and emotional functions. Three nursing strategies to promote this include: continuous patient education, patient and/or family goal setting, as well as providing psychosocial support to the patient’s family or primary caregiver(s). This paper will analyze why these three proposed strategies are crucial to promote home and community based care, as well as ways these strategies can be implemented in such settings in order to improve the outcome for post-stroke patients.
Anyone at any age or time can undergo a stroke within their brain. In fact, the fifth leading cause of deaths in the U.S. can be attributed to strokes and on a yearly basis about 800,000 people suffer from strokes. (What is a Stroke?) With a 60% majority, females are more apt to suffer a death by stroke, as compared to males. (About Stroke.) If a stroke were to occur, early diagnosis and treatment are the only ways one may minimize the terrible, life altering consequences from the deceased brain cells. A stroke, a blockage of normal blood flow in the brain killing brain cells, either hemorrhagically or ischemically, can have negative impacts on normal bodily functions.
Stroke is a severe medical condition and is the number five cause of death and leading cause of serious, long-term disability in America. There are three main kinds of stroke, ischemic which is caused by blood blots, hemorrhagic which is caused by ruptured blood vessels that cause brain bleeding, and transient ischemic attack (TIA) which is a “mini-stroke” caused by a temporary blood clot. It is well-known that brain cells die after a few minutes when they are no longer able to receive nutrients and/or oxygen from the blood or even when there is sudden bleeding in and around the brain. After the brain cells die, the part of the body that they control will no longer be able to function. The signs and symptoms depends on the
A stroke occurs when there is a sudden decrease in blood flow to a localized area in the brain (Trakalo, 2015, p.1234). This can occur in different ways such as a thrombus, an embolus, a stenosis, or a hemorrhage - all of which can cause devastating neurological effects depending on the extent of ischemia and necrosis resulting from the decreased oxygen carried by the blood.
Stroke occurs when there is ischemia to a part of the brain that results in brain cell death. Movement, sensations and emotions that were controlled by the affected area of the brain where the stroke occurred are impaired or permanently lost. The severity of the loss of functions varies to the extent and specific location of the damage done to the brain (Flemming, K.D., 2013). Stroke is the fourth most common cause of death with over 800,000 people annually is affected in the US. Of the individuals who have survived a stroke, 15-30% will live with permanent disabilities.
A cerebrovascular accident more commonly known as a stroke or brain attack is the term used to describe the sudden death of brain cells in a localized area due to inadequate blood flow. In order to woke the brain needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. This supply is carried to the brain
What is a stroke and how is it related to the aging brain? A stroke happens when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted or it is reduced, depriving the brain tissues of oxygen and food (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). Within minutes of a stroke brain cells begin to die. Early action can minimize brain damage and potential complications. A stroke can cause temporary or permanent disabilities, depending on how long the brain suffers the lack of blood flow (Perlmutter, David. (2004). Some complications after a stroke are; paralyzation (loss of muscle movement), memory loss, and trouble talking. Paralyzation is due to the lack of blood flow to the brain, a patient can lose movement in one side of the body. Stroke can damage too many parts of the brain, and it can start an early brain aging. A stroke can cause a patient to loss control over the way muscles in the mouth move, have difficult talking and eating (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). But one can try to prevent a stroke by taking care of their high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking.
“According to the CDC, 113,100 people died in 2014 from stroke, making it the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S.” Stroke is a sudden disabling attack or loss of consciousness caused by an interruption in the flow of the brain. Without immediately being recognized a stroke can cause a host of problems such as altered speech and communication skills, loss of balance, memory loss, and overall alterations to your brain. Despite stroke’s deadly and life altering effects people have a hard time diagnosing the symptoms immediately and often times associate it with another major condition such as intoxication. The most common things we associate with stroke are weakness in one side of the body, deformity in the mouth, and foaming. Which sadly these symptoms are also indicator that the stroke has been developing for quite a while. People often hear about other major diseases such as heart attacks, diabetes and other illnesses that effects can be viewed immediately within the population. Stroke is what is called a silent killer it has damaging effects just as those more prevalent diseases but it is not as spoken upon.