It is estimated that even 46 percen of brain attacks (stroke) came into existence during the productive age, between 45 and 59 years of age.
Article continues below
Brain cells need constant and sufficient blood supply for good functioning. That brings the oxygen and the other nutrition supplements in brain. If oxygen supply to brain cells stops, even for a short time, brain cells die. It happens for many reasons and it can result with different damages of which the brain attack is the most dangerous.
One of the most frequent causes is blood vessels clot obstruction (thrombus). Thrombosis appears in an artery damaged by arteriosclerosis and the result is ischemic brain attack. Thrombus may appear on an artery wall, most frequently on nodes or in heart's cavern. Thrombus which stick off from the blood vessel wall or appears because of different heart irregularity is called emboli.
Blood flow carry emboli to tiny blood vessel causing obstruction, which is one of the methods of appearing brain attack or brain emboli. Patient can also have a brain attack when ill thinned artery burst and blood pours out in the brain tissue. That kind of brain attack is called brain bleeding.
If the patient suffers from transient brain circulation disorders which don't result with permanent neurological deficit and last for 24 hour at most (most often only few minutes), then we speak about transitory ischemic attacks. If anything of that happens, the doctor will explain to patient in detail what kind of attack he suffers from. The most valuable information for the patient is how to recognise the symptoms of the brain attack and how quickly she must seek for a medical help.
Different studies confirm the drug must be given within three hours after stroke symptoms appeared. The most frequent symptoms of a brain attack are shuddering, weak hands, face or leg apoplexy, especially if only one side of the body is attacked. Speech difficulties are characteristic for a brain attack, as well as hard speaking, misunderstanding, loss of balance and/or coordination, especially in combination with other warning signals.
Furthermore, there are dizziness, insecurity at walking or sudden falls together with other symptoms. The symptoms are also sudden eye blurring or loss of eyesight, especially in one eye; sudden, hard headache without any obvious reason especially if it is followed by vomiting; and sudden awareness disorder.
For brain attack prevention various diagnostic methods play very important role. Some of them are very simple, as blood pressure measuring and blood tests, while in case of doubt a doctor will demand CT, MRI or Doppler ultrasound to get more clear picture.
We have no influence on our family's heritage, sex or age, but we can influence our life style and our illnesses to prevent the brain attack. Avoid smoking, alcohol, drugs, physical inactivity and fatness, unhealthy food, stress and oral contraceptives. High blood pressure increases the risk for a brain attack threefold to fourfold. One of five patients who suffers from the brain attack is diabetic and patients with diabetes type II are especially under the risk.
The most frequent reason for of brain blood vessels damage that leads to brain attack is arteriosclerosis. It causes creation of fat sediments, connective tissue, clot, calcium and other substances on the wall of blood vessel, and that causes constriction, obstruction and/or weakening of blood vessel's wall. ■
Predominant upper-level ridging stretching from the Southwest to the southern High Plains will allow for another day of record-breaking heat across parts of Nevada and Arizona today.