What is stroke?

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either
blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the
blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die.

What causes STROKE?

There are two main causes of stroke: a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or leaking or
bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Some people may have only a
temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain, known as a transient ischemic attack
(TIA), that doesn't cause lasting symptoms.

Lifestyle risk factors

 Being overweight or obese

 Physical inactivity

 Heavy or binge drinking

Medical risk factors

 High blood pressure

 Cigarette smoking or secondhand smoke exposure

 High cholesterol

Other factors associated with a higher risk of stroke include:

 Age — People age 55 or older have a higher risk of stroke than do younger
people.

 Race or ethnicity — African Americans and Hispanics have a higher risk of

stroke than do people of other races or ethnicities.

 Sex — Men have a higher risk of stroke than do women. Women are usually
older when they have strokes, and they're more likely to die of strokes than
are men.
STROKE SYMPTOMS

F.A.S.T. Warning Signs

Use the letters in F.A.S.T to spot a Stroke

 F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to
smile. Is the person's smile uneven?

 A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms.
Does one arm drift downward?

 S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred?

 T = Time to call 911

Other Stroke Symptoms

Watch for Sudden:

 NUMBNESS or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body

 CONFUSION, trouble speaking or understanding speech

 TROUBLE SEEING in one or both eyes

 TROUBLE WALKING, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

 SEVERE HEADACHE with no known cause

TREATMENT FOR STROKE

 Emergency IV medication. Therapy with drugs that can break up a clot has to
be given within 4.5 hours from when symptoms first started if given intravenously.
The sooner these drugs are given, the better. Quick treatment not only improves
your chances of survival but also may reduce complications.

 Emergency endovascular procedures. Doctors sometimes treat ischemic

strokes directly inside the blocked blood vessel. Endovascular therapy has been
shown to significantly improve outcomes and reduce long-term disability after
ischemic stroke.

o Removing the clot with a stent retriever. Doctors can use

a device attached to a catheter to directly remove the clot
from the blocked blood vessel in the brain. 

o Medications delivered directly to the brain. Doctors

insert a long, thin tube (catheter) through an artery in the
groin and thread it to the brain to deliver TPA directly where
the stroke is happening.

 Carotid endarterectomy. Carotid arteries are the blood vessels that run along
each side of the neck, supplying the brain (carotid arteries) with blood. This
surgery removes the plaque blocking a carotid artery and may reduce the risk of
ischemic stroke.

 Angioplasty and stents. In an angioplasty, a surgeon threads a catheter to the

carotid arteries through an artery in the groin. A balloon is then inflated to expand
the narrowed artery. Then a stent can be inserted to support the opened artery.

 Surgery. If the area of bleeding is large, your doctor may perform surgery to
remove the blood and relieve pressure on the brain. Surgery may also be used to
repair blood vessel problems associated with hemorrhagic strokes.