Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of Acute StrokeSymptomsCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Acute Stroke
Symptoms
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatments
Learning more about the signs, symptoms, and prognosis of any type of stroke can prepare you in the event you or a loved one experiences this medical event for handling the situation in the moment and dealing with life afterward.
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Acute strokes are classified in one of two ways:
How to Spot a StrokeAccording to theAmerican Stroke Association, the acronym FAST can help you identify if you or someone else may be having a stroke. If you notice any of these signs, get medical help immediately.F - Face droopingA - Arm weaknessS - Slurred speech or having a difficult time speakingT - Time to call 911
How to Spot a Stroke
According to theAmerican Stroke Association, the acronym FAST can help you identify if you or someone else may be having a stroke. If you notice any of these signs, get medical help immediately.F - Face droopingA - Arm weaknessS - Slurred speech or having a difficult time speakingT - Time to call 911
According to theAmerican Stroke Association, the acronym FAST can help you identify if you or someone else may be having a stroke. If you notice any of these signs, get medical help immediately.
F - Face drooping
A - Arm weakness
S - Slurred speech or having a difficult time speaking
T - Time to call 911
Stroke symptomscan progress quickly but may wax and wane over the course of a few hours. It is not possible to predict how severe a stroke will become or how long it will persist.
The most common symptoms of an acute stroke include:
TIA: A Warning SignA transient ischemic attack is like a stroke, but the symptoms resolve without causing permanent brain damage. If you have a TIA, you probably have at least one stroke risk factor. Most people who experience a TIA will have a stroke within three to six months unless the risk factors are identified and treated.
TIA: A Warning Sign
A transient ischemic attack is like a stroke, but the symptoms resolve without causing permanent brain damage. If you have a TIA, you probably have at least one stroke risk factor. Most people who experience a TIA will have a stroke within three to six months unless the risk factors are identified and treated.
Ischemic Stroke
Other causes of an ischemic stroke include theuse of recreational drugs, blood clotting disorders, or trauma to the blood vessels in the neck.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Ahemorrhagic strokeoccurs when an artery in the brain bleeds.High blood pressure and diabetes are two risk factors that weaken blood vessels. It can also happen when an abnormally shaped artery, such as an arterial venous malformation (AVM) or ananeurysm, bursts.
The blood that seeps into the brain when a blood vessel bleeds causes pressure to build up within the skull, compressing the brain and potentially causing permanent brain damage.
Risk Factors
Many of therisk factors for strokecan be eliminated with lifestyle changes. These risk factors include heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes. Additional risk factors for stroke include the following:
If you experiencesymptomsof an acute stroke or are with someone who you suspect is having a stroke, seek urgent medical attention at the nearest emergency department. The medical team there will do a neurological examination to confirm thediagnoseof stroke.
Blood tests also may be performed:
An acute ischemic stroke is potentially manageable with a number of medical treatments, including a powerful treatment using clot-dissolving drugs such as TNKase (tenecteplase) and other kinds oftissue plasminogen activator drugs.This treatment is effective if the stroke is quickly diagnosed and evaluated and treatment can begin within a few hours of the onset of symptoms.
A combination of blood vessel surgery and medication to control bleeding may be used to treat an acute hemorrhagic stroke.Treatment may include procedures that involve clipping the ruptured aneurysm or an endovascular embolization in which a coil is placed into the aneurysm in order to diminish blood flow.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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