Stroke

What is a stroke?

A stroke is a potentially life-threatening brain disorder that occurs when something blocks or significantly reduces blood flow to your brain. Without the oxygen fresh blood delivers to your head, the brain cells quickly start to die.

An ischemic stroke happens when there’s a blockage in the carotid artery that travels from your heart up to your brain. A hemorrhagic stroke happens if a blood vessel in your brain ruptures.

Many people experience transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) before they have a stroke. A TIA or mini-stroke only lasts a few minutes and doesn’t result in permanent brain damage. It’s a significant warning sign that you’re at risk of a stroke, though, so treatment is vital if you have a TIA.

What causes a stroke?

Strokes occur without warning, but the root cause is often cardiovascular disease, which takes years to develop.

The most common problem is atherosclerosis, where there’s too much cholesterol in your blood. The cholesterol clumps together to form sticky plaque that coats the inside of your arteries, progressively narrowing the blood vessels.

Atherosclerosis in the heart arteries is the underlying cause of coronary artery disease and heart attacks. If it develops in your carotid arteries, the result might be a stroke.

Risk factors increasing your chances of developing atherosclerosis and stroke include high cholesterol, excess body weight, high blood pressure, and smoking.

What symptoms does a stroke cause?

Stroke symptoms include:

• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Seizures 
• Tremor 
• Blurry or double vision
• Severe headache
• Droopiness on one side of the face or mouth
• Weakness in one arm
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty understanding other people

Quick action is vital if someone’s having a stroke. You should call 911 immediately if you’re with anyone displaying stroke symptoms.

How is a stroke treated?

Stroke treatments vary depending on the type of stroke you have. Medications can dissolve blood clots, or you might need minimally invasive balloon angioplasty to clear and widen the blocked artery. With a hemorrhagic stroke, the focus is on stopping the bleeding and reducing pressure on your brain.

At Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC, Dr. Lamar provides comprehensive stroke care, performs risk assessments and prevention before a stroke, and monitors your recovery after a stroke. He also offers post-stroke rehabilitation that helps you regain mobility, speech, and motor function.

To learn more about stroke, call Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC, today. You can request an appointment online at any time.