Strokes happen when a blood clot or broken blood vessel prevents blood from getting to your brain. The lack of blood flow deprives brain cells of the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive, causing them to die in minutes.
There are two types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic.
Ischemic strokes usually happen because a blood clot blocks a blood vessel connected to your brain. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in your brain breaks or ruptures.
Strokes can be fatal. Therefore, you must know the symptoms and pay attention to them when they occur. Symptoms of strokes include:
- Trouble speaking and understanding what others are saying
- Numbness, weakness, or paralysis in the face, arm, or leg
- Problems seeing in one or both eyes
- Headaches
- Trouble walking
- Confusion
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Blurred vision or double vision
- Loss of coordination
Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a stroke, even if they seem to come and go or disappear completely.
To diagnose a stroke, a healthcare provider will use a combination of neurological exams and tests that include:
- Blood tests
- CT scan
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- MRI
- Carotid ultrasound
- Cerebral angiogram
Some treatments are most effective when given soon after a stroke starts. Emergency treatment depends on whether you’re having an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.
To treat an ischemic stroke, blood flow must quickly be restored to the brain. This can be done with:
- Emergency IV medicine
- Emergency endovascular procedures
- Medications delivered directly to the brain
- Removing the clot with a stent retriever
- Other procedures, such as a carotid endarterectomy and angioplasty and stents
Emergency treatment of hemorrhagic stroke focuses on controlling the bleeding and reducing the pressure in the brain caused by excess fluid. If the area of bleeding is large, surgery may be needed to remove the blood and relieve pressure on the brain. Surgery may also be required to repair blood vessel damage due to the hemorrhagic stroke. A healthcare professional may recommend a procedure if an aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), or other blood vessel condition caused the stroke. Procedures include:
- Surgical clipping
- Endovascular embolization, also known as coiling
- Surgical removal of a tangle of thin-walled blood vessels, known as AVM
- Stereotactic radiosurgery
Stroke rehabilitation is an important part of stroke treatment. Rehabilitation will help you adjust to changes in your brain and body after a stroke. You may need to regain abilities you had before or need to adjust to new or different disabilities. You may need a combination of:
- Cognitive rehabilitation
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Speech therapy
Maintaining your overall health is the best way to reduce your risk of a stroke. Some ways you can sustain your overall health include the following:
- Eating plenty of healthy foods and maintaining a healthy weight
- Engaging in regular physical activity
- Managing your blood pressure, cholesterol, and any health conditions you may have
- Quitting smoking
If you are experiencing any symptoms of a stroke, call 911 immediately. If you need assistance managing your health to prevent a stroke or maintaining your overall wellness, visit Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.