Ischemic Stroke Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Ischemic stroke is a type of stroke characterized by a sudden loss of blood supply from circulation in an area of the brain. This causes loss of neurological function in that area of the brain.
Blood supply to the brain is important for providing oxygen and nutrients to nerve cells, and removing carbon dioxide and metabolic waste. If the blood supply is reduced or lost, the brain’s nerve cells will have difficulty producing energy and can even die in a matter of minutes.
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke, occurring in approximately 88 percent of all stroke cases. Apart from ischemic stroke, there is another type of stroke, namely hemorrhagic stroke.
Ischemic Stroke Symptom
The American Stroke Association created the acronym FAST to help with stroke symptoms, namely:
- Face drooping , when a person’s face is more ‘down’ or feels numb on one side. This symptom can also be seen when smiling (the smile looks asymmetrical) or sticking out the tongue (tongue tilts to one side when protruded).
- Arm weakness , weakness in one hand characterized by a feeling of weakness, difficulty raising one’s hand, or numbness.
- Speech problems , speech problems – for example, sluggish or unable to speak clearly.
- Time to call 911, immediately contact the nearest health facility or take the patient to the hospital.
Other symptoms that may also be felt:
- one sided weakness
- difficulty walking, feeling dizzy, or falling for no apparent reason
- confusion and difficulty understanding speech
- visual disturbances
- severe headaches for no apparent reason
Ischemic Stroke Reason
There are two types of ischemic stroke based on the cause, namely:
- Thrombotic stroke. This stroke is caused by a thrombus (blood clot) in an artery in the brain or towards the brain which blocks blood flow. This situation can be found in both large and small blood vessels.
- Embolic stroke. This condition is caused by a clot (clot) that forms in other parts of the body, which then follows the blood flow until it finally blocks the blood vessels in the brain.
There are two types of risk factors that make a person susceptible to stroke, namely modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
Unmodifiable risk factors include age, gender, ethnicity, family history of stroke, history of migraine headaches and fibromuscular dysplasia .
Meanwhile, modifiable and avoidable risk factors are:
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- heart disease (atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease, heart failure, enlarged atria and ventricles, etc.)
- hypercholesterolemia
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- carotid artery stenosis
- obesity
- use of oral contraceptives or post-menopausal hormone therapy
lifestyle: excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and so on - and others
Diagnosis
If a person shows symptoms of having a stroke, then several things that might be done to help with the diagnosis are:
- take anamnesis about medical history, from you or family members (if you are unable to communicate)
- perform a physical and neurological examination
- carry out supporting examinations, in the form of laboratory tests (for example toxicology, coagulation, blood chemistry, etc.) and imaging (CT- scan or MRI)
The results of the various examinations above will lead to the conclusion that there is a stroke.
Ischemic Stroke Treatment
The goal of stroke treatment is to restore brain blood flow as soon as possible, thereby preventing the death of brain nerve cells. Therefore, bringing people who have had a stroke as soon as possible to the hospital is the most important thing.
People who have had a stroke can be given fibrinolytic or anti-platelet drugs to treat blockages. Besides that, mechanical thrombectomy can also be done , which is a procedure to remove blockages.