STROKE

A stroke is a condition where a blood clot or ruptured artery or blood vessel interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain.

The two main types of stroke include ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke accounts for about 75% of all strokes and occurs when a blood clot, or thrombus, forms that blocks blood flow to part of the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel on the brain's surface ruptures and fills the space between the brain and skull with blood (subarachnoid hemorrhage) or when a defective artery in the brain bursts and fills the surrounding tissue with blood (cerebral hemorrhage).
Treatment and care usual for people who have a stroke.
The aim of the scan is to confirm the diagnosis and to tell whether the stroke is an ischaemic or haemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke.
Antiplatelet medication. Platelets are tiny particles in the blood which help blood to clot. Antiplatelet medication is usually advised if you have had an ischaemic stroke (due to a blood clot). Antiplatelet medication reduces the 'stickiness' of platelets. This helps to prevent blood clots forming inside arteries, which helps to prevent a further stroke. For example, medication to lower a raised blood pressure, sugar level, or cholesterol level.
If you have atrial fibrillation you have an increased risk of a blood clot forming in a heart chamber and travelling to the brain to cause a stroke. If you have atrial fibrillation (or certain other heart conditions) a drug called warfarin may be prescribed. Warfarin helps to prevent blood clots forming. If you have carotid stenosis then you have an increased risk of having a stroke. Your doctor will advise if this is an option. If a subarachnoid haemorrhage is the cause of the stroke then an operation to fix the leaking artery is sometimes an option. For example, sometimes surgery is considered to ease the pressure within the skull if the pressure becomes high following certain types of stroke. The aim of rehabilitation is to maximise activity and quality of life following a stroke. Hospitals which deal with stroke patients have various specialists who help in rehabilitation.

Preventation
Certain 'risk factors' increase the chance of atheroma forming - which increase your risk of having a stroke (and heart attack). You can reduce the risk of having a stroke (or a further stroke) if you reduce your 'risk factors'.
• Smoking. If you smoke, stopping smoking can greatly cut your risk of having a stroke.
• High blood pressure. If it is high it can be treated. If you have high blood pressure, treatment of the blood pressure is likely to have the greatest effect on reducing your risk of having a stroke.
• If you are overweight, losing some weight is advised.
• A high cholesterol. This can be treated if it is high.
• Diet. If you eat meat it is best to eat lean meat, or poultry such as chicken.
• If you do fry, choose a vegetable oil such as sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil.
• Alcohol. In particular, binge drinking can increase your blood pressure.
• Diabetes is a risk factor. If you have diabetes, treatment to keep your blood sugar as near normal as possible is important.

(Read about Died Soda Stroke)