Stroke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Stroke - Essay Example Stroke has been classified into two main categories where we have ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke takes place when the supply of blood to some area of the brain is impeded causing malfunction of that part of the brain. Ischemic stroke can result from venous thrombosis, systemic hyperfusion (which refers to a general reduction in the supply of blood such as shock), embolism (impediment/ obstruction caused by an embolus) or thrombosis (obstruction of the flow of blood when blood clots). Cryptogenic stroke is a stroke of unknown origins and lacks clear explanation. Cryptogenic strokes make up a third of all ischemic strokes. Dependent on symptom extents, stroke episodes can be grouped as posterior circulation infarct (POCI), lacunar infarct (LACI), partial anterior circulation infarct (PACI) or total anterior circulation infarct (TACI). These four episode categories can give insight on the area of the brain that has been impacted, extent of stroke, the underlying cause and prognosis. Approximately 85% of strokes are of ischemic nature (Lindley, 2008, 102). Unlike ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, on the other hand, occur due to rapture of a vessel of blood or a vascular structure that is abnormal. Intracranial hemorrhage denotes the accumulation of blood in any part of the skull vault. Extra-axial hemorrhage is accumulation of blood inside the skull but outside the brain whereas intra-axial hemorrhage is blood inside the brain (caused by intra-ventricular hemorrhage or intra-parenchymal hemorrhage). Subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding between the pia mater and the arachnoid mater), subdural hematoma (bleeding in the subdural space) and epidural hematoma (bleeding between the skull and the dura mater) are the commonest kind of extra-axial hemorrhage. Most forms of hemorrhagic stroke posses specific symptoms. Some hemorrhages take place within regions of ischemia in a