A regular stroke is a 911 emergency. It is an interruption of blood flow to part of your brain. Without blood, brain cells start to die. This stroke causes sudden symptoms like numbness and weakness on one side, loss of speech or the ability to understand speech, dizziness or loss … Read More
It’s Never too Late for Women to Lower Stroke Risk An analysis of data published recently in the journal Stroke found that certain lifestyle changes, even later in life, were associated with lower risk of stroke. Nearly 60,000 women, who were an average of 52 years old at the start … Read More
There are risk factors that make some people more likely to have a stroke, and there are underlying causes and pre-existing conditions that could actually trigger a stroke. Sometimes, the line between a risk factor and a cause is blurred. A risk factor like high blood pressure, for example, turns … Read More
Unless your doctor has informed you that you’re deficient in potassium, the most you’ve probably heard about this mineral is that it’s good for you and is found abundantly in bananas. Perhaps it’s time to take closer look at how potassium benefits some of the most important functions of your … Read More
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are prescribed to some 15 million Americans to reduce stomach acid and ease heartburn. Millions more use over-the-counter PPIs. New research, however, is showing a link between long-term, high-dosage PPI use and ischemic stroke. An ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and is … Read More
An estimated 40,000 babies are born in the U.S. every year with congenital heart disease—an abnormality of the structure of the heart or blood vessels. Not long ago, many of these children wouldn’t live to reach adulthood. However, advances in treatments are helping people born with congenital heart disease to … Read More
The term brain attack is often used to describe a stroke. Just as a heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is interrupted, a brain attack can occur when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted in a way that injures or kills brain cells. There … Read More
When a blood clot is stopping blood flow to the brain, a powerful clot-busting medication called tPA is used to dissolve the clot and restore blood flow. The drug must be given within 4½ hours after the onset of symptoms, or the risk of causing unwanted bleeding may outweigh the … Read More
A cerebrovascular disease is one caused by arteries blocked by a blood clot, bleeding in or around the brain caused by a ruptured blood vessel, and any change in the brain’s blood vessels that alters the normal flow of blood. “Cerebro” refers to the brain and “vascular” pertains to blood … Read More
Stroke is an emergency. When a stroke occurs, how much brain function is lost—and your ability to survive the stroke--depends on the type of stroke, its location, and how quickly the stroke is treated. Neurologists use the phrase “Time is brain” to underscore the importance of rapid treatment for ischemic … Read More
