A stroke occurs when a blockage or bleed of the blood vessels either interrupts or reduces the supply of blood to the brain. When this happens, the brain does not receive enough oxygen or nutrients, and brain cells start to die.
There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding.
Symptoms
The symptoms of a stroke often appear without warning. Some of the main symptoms include:
- confusion, including difficulty speaking and understanding speech
- a headache, possibly with altered consciousness or vomiting
- numbness or an inability to move parts of the face, arm, or leg, particularly on one side of the body
- vision problems in one or both eyes
- difficulty walking, including dizziness and a lack of coordination
Treatment
To treat an ischemic stroke, doctors must quickly restore blood flow to your brain. This may be done with:
- Emergency IV medication
- Emergency endovascular procedures
Emergency treatment of hemorrhagic stroke focuses on controlling the bleeding and reducing pressure in your brain caused by the excess fluid. Treatment options include:
- Surgical clipping.
- Coiling (endovascular embolization)
- Surgical AVM removal
- Stereotactic radiosurgery
