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Ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a cerebral infarction that occurs as a result of blood flow cessation to the brain. IS develops when the lumen of the cerebral blood vessel closes, which leads to a cessation of blood supply to the brain. Also, supply of both oxygen and nutrients, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the brain, are ceased as well.

Causes

IS can be caused by the following conditions:

Factors, causes, prevention and other information in Section Stroke

Consequences

The brain is an extremely complex organ that controls various functions of the body. If the blood can not reach the brain regions that are responsible for functions of certain parts of the body, these parts of the body will stop functioning properly.

After an ischemic stroke, people can experience:

  • Motor disorders, weakness or paralysis - this can lead to difficulties in movements, walking and coordination. Movement disorder on only one side of the body is called hemiparesis or hemiplegia.
  • Swallowing disorder. Swallowing disorder can cause food and liquid not getting into the esophagus directly, but getting into the respiratory tract and lungs. This can cause severe inflammation of the lungs. Swallowing disorder can also lead to constipation and dehydration.
  • Speech disorder. Problems with reproduction and understanding of speech include difficulties in reading, writing and counting. They can occur as a result of damage to the left hemisphere of the brain.
  • Perception problems Even with the normal vision, the person is not able to understand what he/she sees. Perception disorder makes it difficult for a person to use everyday objects. For example, person can`t take a glass, pour water into it and then drink it.
  • Cognitive disorder In this case the ability to mentally percept and process external information is violated. Clear and logical thinking is distorted, memory of the person starts to deteriorate, the ability to learn, plan and make decisions is lost.
  • Behavior disorder The person can experience aggression, slow response, fearfulness, emotional instability and disorganization.
  • Bladder and bowel problems ТStroke can cause a variety of different problems, resulting in either bowel or bladder dysfunction (urinary incontinence or retention, fecal incontinence).
  • Psychological disorders These include mood swings, depression, irritability, episodes of laughing or crying without an evident reason. Depression is a very common problem for people who have suffered stroke. It is often accompanied by loss of appetite, episodes of laughing or crying without a reason, insomnia, low self-esteem and an increased sense of anxiety.
  • Epilepsy The number of stroke patients who eventually develop epilepsy ranges from 7% to 20%.
  • Pain syndrome A small number of stroke patients can develop pain episodes manifested in burning, shooting and throbbing pain, which cannot be relieved with painkillers.

Risk of Recurrent Stroke

20% of people who have suffered ischemic stroke die within the first month and about 25% of them die within the first year.

Within the next 5 years, more than half of the surviving patients suffer the second stroke, with most cases occurring in the first year after an episode.

In Russia, about 100,000 cases of recurrent strokes are registered on average each year. Six months after the stroke, disability develops in 40% of surviving patients.

Within the first 5 years, up to 85% of patients either die or remain disabled and only the remaining 15% of patients manage to recover.

How to live after Ischemic Stroke?

In Germany and other countries of the European Union, ischemic stroke is not a diagnosis that condemns people to deep disability and death.

With a detailed and in-depth diagnosis of causes of ischemic stroke, early recovery from the effects of ischemic stroke and rehabilitation, millions of people who have suffered the condition can return to their normal life.

To receive professional consult regarding the treatment of ischemic stroke in Germany
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Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is considered to be one of the most common risk factors of a stroke. Approximately 15% of stroke patients also suffer from atrial fibrillation. Regular diagnostics should be conducted in patients with atrial fibrillation to lower the risk of stroke.

Hypertension as a risk factor of a stroke

High blood pressure (hypertension) is considered to be the major stroke risk factor as well. Blood pressure is the pressure of blood vessels` walls, this is the main difference between blood pressure and atmospheric pressure. Arterial blood pressure is the pressure of large arteries. Arterial pressure is a vital part of cardiovascular system. When blood pressure is measured, two figures are taken into account. The upper figure - systolic blood pressure - shows the pressure which occurs during heart contractions, when blood enters the arteries. Here the effort that heart produces is measured. The lower figure - diastolic blood pressure - shows the pressure which occurs when the heart muscle relaxes. The magnitude of the pressure fluctuation is not the same for different parts of the vascular system: the further it is located from the heart, the less noticeable is the difference. A typical blood pressure of a healthy person (systolic / diastolic) = 120/80 mm Hg.

Unpredictable risk factors of a stroke

Women are more likely to suffer from this disease than men. However, men suffer from stroke at an earlier age than women. In some cases stroke can have a fatal outcome due to complications. Life expectancy in women is longer as they suffer from stroke later in their life, therefore the mortality rate is higher for women than for men. Fatal outcome from stroke is  2 times more  common than from breast cancer.

Improved finger movements after a stroke

To pick up, let’s say, a coin lying on the table, you need to perform a whole number of exact and coordinated finger and hand movements. Performing movements like these requires full control over the muscles, reflexes and fingers position. Motor disorders after a stroke can make light movements impossible and they have to be restored. Motor disorders after a stroke can make light movements impossible and they have to be restored.

Treatment of hypertension as a prevention (PREVENTIVE) measure of primary and recurrent strokes

Nowadays doctors actively develop methods of treatment of cardiovascular pathologies, as breakthrough is this area is of a high social significance. This can be explained by the fact that various disorders of the cardiovascular system are the main cause of premature death or disability. According to statistics of death causes in the Russian Federation, the primary death cause among population is coronary heart disease (25.8%), the second one - cerebrovascular diseases (21.5%), and the third - cancer.

Types of a Stroke

There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, which develops when the vessels are clogged (thrombosis of the brain vessels) and hemorrhagic, which develops when the vessels rupture(bleeding into the membranes and ventricles of the brain).

High Cholesterol levels cause a stroke

Cholesterol is an organic compound and natural fatty (lipophilic) substance. It is insoluble in water, but it is soluble in fats and organic solvents. About 80% of cholesterol is produced by the body itself (by liver, intestines, kidneys, adrenals and sex glands), the remaining 20% the body gets with the food. The body constitutes of 80% of free and 20% of bound cholesterol. Cholesterol provides stability to cell membranes in a wide range of temperatures. This substance is necessary for vitamin D production and for development of various steroid hormones by adrenal glands. These hormones include cortisol, cortisone, aldosterone, female sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone, the male sex hormone - testosterone.

Diabetes increases the risk of stroke

Approximately 10 million Russians suffer from diabetes mellitus. The risk of developing stroke in diabetic patients is 4 times higher than in healthy people. The reason for this are the complications caused by diabetes.

Atherosclerosis as a risk factor of a stroke

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease when artery walls become dense and lose elasticity. The lumen of the arteries narrows and a result of that is subsequent violation of blood supply to organs. Atherosclerosis usually affects the entire arterial system of the body(although not in an even way).

Prevention of stroke

A person can mostly change all these risk factors by leading a healthy lifestyle and following certain rules.

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