stroke

Stroke is the first cause of acquired disability in the world

A stroke, brain attack, or a Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA), is the sudden death of brain cells caused by a lack of supply in oxygen to the brain. There are two main types of stroke:

• Ischemic strokes or cerebral infarcts (80% of strokes) result from a blockage or a reduction of blood flow in an artery that irrigates the brain. They are caused either by a blood clot (thrombus) which blocks the blood vessel or by the buildup of plaque (often due to cholesterol) within the arteries which narrows vessels resulting in a loss of blood flow.
• Haemorrhagic strokes are due to the rupture of an artery within the brain triggering an intracerebral haemorrhage (15% of strokes) or to the rupture of an aneurysm (arteriovenous malformation) entailing subarachnoid haemorrhage (5% of strokes).

What are the consequences of a stroke?

Resulting disabilities will vary depending on stroke location and severity.

After a stroke, brain cells die in the affected areas resulting to damaged or even lose neurons. Patients will often suffer physical disabilities such as partial loss of motricity or hemiplegia, sensory loss, language disorders, aphasia, visual disorders, and even memory loss. Level of recovery will vary from patient to patient. Starting rapidly a rehabilitation program is key to recovery.