Stroke

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when oxygen-rich blood supply to the brain is interrupted by either blood clots or aneurisms caused by pre-existing medical conditions or defective drugs.

Several defective drugs have been found to increase the risk of strokes, including Vioxx, Ortho Evra, Ephedra, Bextra, and Celebrex. These defective drugs increase the risk of developing stroke-inducing blood clots and artery damage.

Often, these drug companies are aware of the increased risk of stroke caused by their drugs, but fail to properly inform physicians or patients of these dangers. In many cases, victims of drug-induced strokes and their families are entitled to receive compensation for their injuries. An attorney can assist a victim and a victim’s family in receiving compensation for emotional stress, to cover medical bills, and punitive damages.

Causes of Strokes

Strokes are the result of too little blood supply to the brain (ischemic stroke) or too much blood supply to the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). An ischemic stroke may be the result of blood clots, particles, or debris that restrict blood flow to the brain. Hemorrhagic stroke may be the result of a broken or burst blood vessel (aneurism), causing excessive bleeding in the brain.

Ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke occurs when blood clots or other particles block the arteries that supply blood to the brain, significantly and severely reducing blood flow (ischemia). Without sufficient blood and oxygen supply, brain cells die.

Two types of ischemic stroke are thrombotic stroke and embolic stroke:

• Thrombotic stroke is a type of ischemic stroke in which a blood clot (thrombus )forms in one of the arteries that supplies blood to the brain.
  
• Embolic stroke can occur if a blood clot forms in a vessel in another area of the body (usually the heart) and is carried through the bloodstream to the brain, where it becomes lodged in a brain artery.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures or leaks. Bleeding or hemorrhage can be the result of a number of conditions that affect blood vessels in the body, including high blood pressure (hypertension) or weak spots in the blood vessel wall (aneurysms).

Two types of hemorrhagic stroke are intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage:

• Intracerebral hemorrhage occurs when a brain blood vessel bursts and blood spills onto around surrounding brain tissue, causing swelling and brain tissue damage. Brain tissue beyond the blood leak is deprived of blood and damaged. Hypertension often causes this type of stroke. Hypertension can cause the arteries inside of the brain to become weak, brittle, and susceptible to rupture.
  
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when blood leaks from an artery near the membrane surrounding the brain and fills the space between the brain and the skull (subarachnoid space). This type of stroke is characterized by a sudden, severe headache.

Stroke Symptoms

The symptoms of stroke can suddenly appear, and prompt treatment is essential for saving lives and preventing crippling brain damage. Stroke symptoms include:

• Sudden weakness or paralysis of one side of the body
• Sudden slurred or labored speech
• Sudden double vision
• Sudden loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache accompanied by facial pain or neck stiffness
• Sudden confusion or memory loss

For many people, strokes present no prior warnings or symptoms.

Stroke Treatment

Stroke treatment is dependent upon on the type of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke) sustained. It is important for anyone with stroke symptoms to seek immediate medical attention at a hospital emergency room.

At a hospital, a doctor diagnoses a stroke using a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the brain and any blood clots or hemorrhaging. 

Initial stroke treatment focuses on restoring normal blood flow from an ischemic stroke or controlling bleeding from a hemorrhagic stroke.

Ischemic Stroke Treatment

Emergency ischemic stroke treatment focuses on removing obstructions that hinder blood flow to the brain by administering blood clot-dissolving drugs (thombolytic drugs) within three hours of the stroke or stroke diagnosis.

A doctor also performs a surgical procedure to open an artery clogged or narrowed by plaques, clots, or debris. One such procedure is a carotid endarterectomy. For this procedure, a surgeon creates an incision in a patient’s neck to expose the carotid artery, the main artery providing blood to the brain. The artery is opened, blockages are removed, and the artery is closed.

Another ischemic stroke surgical treatment is angioplasty. An angioplasty is used to widen the inside of the carotid artery. For this procedure, a catheter with a balloon tip is inserted into the artery. The balloon is inflated, which compresses the obstructions or plaques in the artery to increase blood flow. A metallic mesh tube (stent) is usually left in the artery to prevent future blockage.

Other treatments for ischemic strokes include prescribing drugs to prevent further blood clotting. These anticoagulants and anti-platelet drugs work by thinning the blood to prevent clots or by making the cells that initiate blood clots (platelets) less sticky and less likely to clot.

Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment

Hemorrhagic stroke treatment focuses on stopping bleeding in the brain. Most treatments involve surgical procedures that work to clip broken or burst blood vessels (arterivenous malformations).

Aneurysm clipping is a common hemorrhagic stroke treatment. For this procedure, a surgeon places a clamp at the base of the burst blood vessel (aneurysm) to isolate it from the supply of blood flowing through it. This prevents the aneurysm from bleeding. Another common surgical procedure is aneurysm embolization. For this procedure, a catheter is maneuvered into a broken or burst blood vessel. A tiny coil is pushed through the catheter and positioned inside of the blood vessel. The coil fills the aneurysm to seal off the vessel from connecting arteries.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Stroke victims often go for several minutes without vital oxygen and blood supply to the brain. As a result, several brain functions may be impaired or permanently lost. Thus, stroke survivors require close, personal care and rehabilitation to resume many basic daily functions.

Stroke rehabilitation and recovery depends on the area of the brain involved in the stroke and the amount of brain tissue damage. A stroke that occurred in the right side of the brain can impair motor skills and movement on the left side of the body. Damage to the left side of the brain can affect movement on the right side of the body, in addition to affecting speech and language. A stroke to either side of the brain can affect respiration, balance, and vision.