Ischemic Stroke – what is it? Causes and symptoms

An ischemic stroke occurs when a major blood vessel to the brain gets blocked. These arteries carry fresh blood to the brain from the heart and lungs. When the artery gets blocked, the oxygenated blood doesn’t reach the brain and it can’t remove carbon dioxide and cellular waste.

There are two types of ischemic strokes:

• Thrombiotic stroke – which occurs when diseased or damaged cerebral arteries become blocked by the formation of a blood clot within the brain

• Embolic stroke – caused by a clot within an artery, but in this case the clot forms elsewhere.
Often these emboli will travel from the heart in the bloodstream They finally get too big to travel any farther and get lodged in the artery

Causes
Ischemic stroke can occur due to many illnesses. They are:-
• Atherosclerosis where the arteries become narrow allowing the formation of clots
• Heart attacks and heart disease
• Alcohol
• Plaque formation or calcification of the arteries
• Trauma in the blood vessels of the neck
• Disorders of blood clotting

---

Also Read: Atrial Fibrillation And Embolic Strokes

---

Symptoms of an ischemic stroke:
• Cognitive problems
• Visual problems
• Slurring of speech
• Memory loss
• Blackouts
• Trembling in extremities
• Numbness or tingling sensation
• Drooping in face

What should you do if someone is showing any of the above signs?
If someone is showing one or more of these signs, they should be taken to the hospital immediately. The reason for the symptom could be something else, but it is best not to take chances. The doctors will do a battery of tests to check that there is no blood clot in the body. Even if the symptoms pass swiftly, this should be taken as a sign that your body is sending you a warning signal.

Don’t take the warning lightly!

 

Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

Chennai – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801