May marks National Stroke Awareness Month as well as VSCP LAW’s series on understanding strokes. Please read below to learn the main causes of stroke.
What is a stroke?
A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, happens when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted or reduced. When blood supply to your brain is interrupted or reduced, the brain tissue cannot get necessary oxygen and nutrients. Strokes can lead to brain damage, disability, and even death.
What Are the Main Causes of Stroke?
Generally, there are two main causes of stroke: a blocked artery or bursting of a blood vessel. The different types of stroke are discussed below.
What are the different types of stroke?
Ischemic Stroke. This is the most common type of stroke. It occurs when the brain’s blood vessels become narrowed or blocked. The blockage results in reduced blood flow (“ischemia”) to the brain.
Hemorrhagic Stroke. This occurs when a blood vessel in your brain leaks or ruptures. The blood continues to increase and ultimately compresses the surrounding brain tissue. Hemorrhagic strokes occur either within the brain (“intracerebral”) or in the space between your brain and the surrounding membrane (“subarachnoid”).
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). Sometimes referred to as a “mini-stroke,” a TIA occurs when there is blocked blood flow to the brain for a short time (usually less than five minutes). TIAs present with the same warning signs as an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke so it’s imperative to seek immediate medical attention if those warning signs are present.
What are the Risk Factors for Stroke?
There are many risk factors that can lead to stroke. These include:
- High Body Mass Index (or obesity)
- Heavy drinking
- Smoking
- Illegal drug use
- Physical inactivity
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- Age 55 or older
- Use of hormonal drugs
- Obstructive sleep apnea
What Lifestyle Changes Can I Make to Prevent Stroke?
There are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your chances of having a stroke, including:
- Eat more plant-based foods
- Engage in regular exercise
- Control hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Quit smoking
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all
- Treat sleep apnea
- Manage diabetes
- Avoid illegal drugs
What Medications Can I Take to Prevent Stroke?
If you’ve had a TIA or are at high risk of stroke due to health complications, your doctor may prescribe you medication to reduce the chance of suffering a stroke. Those include:
Cholesterol-lowering medications. High cholesterol can lead to fatty build-up in the artery walls that narrows or blocks the artery to the brain, causing a stroke. Statins are an example of cholesterol-lowering medicine.
Anti-hypertensives. High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke because if your blood pressure is too high, your arteries can thicken over time. They become weaker, less flexible, and then become more prone to blood clots. As discussed above, clots can lead to stroke.
Anti-platelet drugs. Platelets are cells in your blood that form blood clots. Anti-platelet drugs make these cells less sticky and therefore less likely to clot. Aspirin is an example of an anti-platelet drug.
Anticoagulants. These drugs thin out the blood and reduce blood clotting.
If you believe a loved one has suffered a stroke as the result of a health care provider’s actions or inactions, contact VSCP LAW at www.vscplaw.com.
