| When brain cells die during a stroke, the capacity | | | | heart rhythm, form, as in cases of atrial fibrillation. |
| of the region of the brain are lost. These abilities | | | | Generally, these clots remain attached to the |
| include speech, movement and memory. How a | | | | inner wall of our heart, but sometimes it can |
| stroke patient is affected depends on where the | | | | break off, travel through the bloodstream, |
| stroke occurs in the brain and to what extent the | | | | forming a plug (embolism) in an artery in the brain |
| brain is damaged. | | | | and cause stroke. An embolism can also come |
| What causes a stroke? | | | | from one of the great arteries (eg carotid artery, |
| The artery blockage in the brain by a blood clot | | | | a major artery of the neck providing blood to the |
| (is called thrombus) is the main cause of stroke. | | | | brain), then downstream to clog a small artery in |
| The part of the brain that is full by the clotted | | | | our brain. |
| blood vessel is then deprived of oxygen and | | | | Cerebral hemorrhage |
| blood. As a result of the deprived oxygen and | | | | A cerebral hemorrhage is another type of stroke, |
| blood, the cells of that part of the brain die. In | | | | which occurs when a blood vessel in the brain |
| general, a clot in small blood vessels of the brain | | | | rupture and bleeds into the surrounding tissue of |
| has been reduced by several factors, including: | | | | our brain. A cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding inside |
| 1. High blood pressure (hypertension), | | | | the brain) can cause stroke by the extraction of |
| 2. High cholesterol, | | | | blood and oxygen to parts of the brain. |
| 3. Diabetes | | | | Vasculitis |
| 4. Smoking | | | | Another rare cause of stroke is vasculitis, a |
| What Are the Types of Stroke? | | | | disease in which inflammation of blood vessels. |
| Embolic stroke | | | | Migraine headache: |
| Embolic stroke may be occur when a blood clot | | | | It seems a very small increase in the incidence of |
| or a piece of plaque (deposits of cholesterol and | | | | stroke in patients with migraine. The mechanism |
| calcium in the inner wall of the arteries of the | | | | for the treatment of migraine or vascular |
| heart or unleashed), travels through open arteries, | | | | headaches includes constriction of blood vessels in |
| and present in an artery in the brain. If this | | | | the brain. Some episodes of migraine can mimic |
| happens, the flow of oxygen through blood to the | | | | the same stroke with loss of function on one side |
| brain is blocked and stroke occurs. This type of | | | | or edge of vision or speech problems. In general, |
| attack is called embolism. For example, a blood | | | | the symptoms such as headache disappear. |
| clot might originally in the abdomen after irregular | | | | |