Stroke
The term stroke, also known as a cerebral vascular accident (CVA), is used to describe the rapid brain function loss that occurs when there is a break in blood supply to all or part of the brain. This interruption of flow can be caused by thrombosis (blood clot), embolism (travelling debris from another part of the body), or hemorrhage (ruptured vessel).
A stroke is a very serious condition and can cause permanent brain damage or death if not treated immediately. It is the third leading cause of death in developed nations. Knowledge of stroke symptoms is crucial for early diagnosis; however, symptoms vary widely in different patients, as can causes.
Stroke
Some of the most common risk factors for stroke include age, high blood pressure, history of stroke, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, etc. Experts generally agree that blood pressure is the most important manageable factor for stroke.
When the WHO (World Health Organisation) defined stroke in the early 1970’s, it was split into two types: stroke and TIA (mini-stroke). TIA is the exact same condition as the stroke, but completely resolves itself within 24 hours – which is apparently an arbitrary time-frame, but suffice to say the stroke is temporary.
The medical community, particularly in the Western World, have seen this division system as inaccurate and impractical, since both conditions are identical. This, in addition to improved treatment methods, has led to the promotion of the term "brain attack", which many doctors use as a substitute to stroke or TIA. This term is analogous to the term "heart attack", another condition resulting from interrupted blood flow.
Every three to four minutes, someone in the world is killed by a stroke. This year, Americans will spend approximately $62.7 billion in medical and disability costs related to stroke. The good news, however, is that many hospitals have “brain attack” teams to handle the swift neurological treatment of stroke.
