Posted by Phillipa on October 10, 2007, at 19:37:49
In reply to Re: Antidepressants and bleeding » Netch, posted by Phillipa on October 10, 2007, at 19:24:55
Here's a bit more info will google antidepressants and stroke too. Phillipa
Stroke
What is a stroke?
What causes a stroke?
What is a TIA?
What is the impact of strokes?
What are stroke symptoms?
What should be done if you suspect you or someone else is having a stroke?
How is a stroke diagnosed?
What is the treatment of a stroke?
What complications can occur after a stroke?
What can be done to prevent a stroke?
What is in the future for stroke treatment?
Stroke At A Glance
Related Stroke articles:
Stroke symptoms – on WebMD
Recognizing a Stroke: Three Commands for the Victim
Medical Author: Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MDThree commands sometimes used by doctors to begin assessing whether a person may be experiencing a stroke can also be useful for people who are not doctors, according to a study by University of North Carolina researchers.
Lay persons can command a potential stroke victim to:
Smile
Raise both arms
Speak a simple sentence
The three commands, known as the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS), are used by health professionals as a simple first step in the assessment process for signs of stroke. If a person has trouble with any of these simple commands, emergency services (911) should be called immediately with a description of the situation, noting that you suspect the individual is having a stroke.A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. According to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the five major signs of stroke are the sudden onset of:
Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. The loss of voluntary movement and/or sensation may be complete or partial. There may also be an associated tingling sensation in the affected area.
Read the rest of the stroke symptoms »
Top Searched Stroke Terms:
stroke symptoms, management of stroke, signs of a stroke, heat stroke, TIA stroke, stroke recovery, stroke treatment, stroke causes, mini stroke
What is a stroke?
A stroke is the sudden death of brain cells due to a problem with the blood supply. When blood flow to the brain is impaired, oxygen and important nutrients cannot be delivered. The result is abnormal brain function. Blood flow to the brain can be disrupted by either a blockage or rupture of an artery to the brain. There are many causes for a stroke, as shown in the table and discussed below. A stroke is also referred to as a cerebrovascular accident or CVA.
Causes of Stroke
Blockage of artery
Clogging of arteries within the brain (for example, lacunar stroke)
Hardening of the arteries leading to the brain (for example, carotid artery occlusion)
Embolism to the brain from the heart or an artery
Rupture of an artery (hemorrhage)Cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding within the brain substance)
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding between the brain and the inside of the skull)What causes a stroke?
The blockage of an artery in the brain by a clot (thrombosis) is the most common cause of a stroke. The part of the brain that is supplied by the clotted blood vessel is then deprived of blood and oxygen. The cells of that part of the brain die as a result. Typically, a clot forms in a small blood vessel within the brain that has been previously narrowed due to the long–term, damaging effects of high blood pressure (hypertension) or diabetes. The resulting strokes are called lacunar strokes because they look like little lakes. In other situations, usually because of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), a blood clot can obstruct a larger vessel going to the brain, such as the carotid artery in the neck.
Another type of stroke may occur when a blood clot or a piece of atherosclerotic plaque (cholesterol and calcium deposits on the wall of the inside of the heart or artery) breaks loose, travels through open arteries, and lodges in an artery of the brain. When this happens, the flow of oxygen–rich blood to the brain is blocked and a stroke occurs. This type of stroke is referred to as an embolic stroke. For example, a blood clot might originally form in the heart chamber as a result of an irregular heart rhythm, such as occurs in atrial fibrillation. Usually, these clots remain attached to the inner lining of the heart, but occasionally they can break off, travel through the blood stream, form a plug (embolism) in a brain artery, and cause a stroke. An embolism can also originate in a large artery (for example, the carotid artery, a major artery in the neck that supplies blood to the brain) and then travel downstream to clog a small artery within the brain.
A cerebral hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain tissue. A cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) can cause a stroke by depriving blood and oxygen to parts of the brain. The accumulation of blood from a cerebral hemorrhage can also press on parts of the brain and cause damage. A subarachnoid hemorrhage is caused by the rupture of a blood vessel that is usually located between the outside of the brain and the inside of the skull. The blood vessel at the point of rupture is often previously abnormal, such as from an aneurysm (an abnormal ballooning out of the wall of the vessel). Subarachnoid hemorrhages usually cause a sudden, severe headache and are often complicated by further neurological problems, such as paralysis, coma, and even death.
Overall, the most common risk factors for stroke are high blood pressure and increasing age. Diabetes and certain heart conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, are other common risk factors. When strokes occur in younger individuals (less than 50 years old), less common risk factors are often involved. These risk factors include drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines, ruptured aneurysms, and inherited (genetic) predispositions to blood clotting. Another example of a genetic predisposition to stroke occurs in a rare condition called homocystinuria, in which there are excessive levels of the chemical homocystine in the body. Furthermore, scientists are trying to determine whether the non–hereditary occurrence of high levels of homocystine at any age can predispose to stroke. Another rare cause of stroke is vasculitis, a condition in which the blood vessels become inflamed. Finally, there appears to be a very slight increased occurrence of stroke in people with migraine headache.
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