Health Today, August 2016 what is Stroke?

What is Stroke or a Brain Attack?

It is a common notion among people that ‘brain attack’ or ‘Stroke and ‘heart attack’ are one and the same but actually they are different, STROKE is a either blockage (Ischemia) or rupture in an artery (haemorrhage) in the brain or neck that supplies blood to the brain. In an ischemic stroke, a clot forms in one of those arteries and stop flow, a section f brain begins to die. When those cells die, the person looses whatever function those brain cells controlled. This can present as sudden inability to speak. The other category called the ‘hemorrhagic stroke’ in which a blood vessel bursts and bleeds in the brain also can lead to same consequences, but ischemic strokes are three time more common.

Current treatment options medical

In a number of patients with paralysis due to ischemic stroke, the symptoms can now be reversed completely if treated with a drug known as ‘tPA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator). This drug breaks down the blood clots that cause an ischemic stroke. It is very good at improving a person’s recovery after stroke but it can also cause bleeding in Brain. TPA must be started within 4.5 hours of the stroke, after a CT scan, and can only be used where there are experienced doctors and specialties services. This Drug is only useful for certain types of stroke (those due to blood clots) and is not suitable for everyone.

MRS. DHANASHRI N. CHONKAR

M.B.B.S., M.D. (MED),

D.N.B. (NEUOLOGY)

CONSULTANT NEUROLOGIST