Strokes: what are the types and their symptoms?

Did you know that stroke is a major cause of death and long-term disability worldwide? There are over 15 million new strokes each year. Of these, 5 million die and another 5 million are left with some type of disability such as a cognitive deficit, language deficit, or paralysis of one side of the body (hemiplegia), among other consequences.

These long-term complications are often the result of not receiving timely and quality care. When a stroke occurs, a part of the brain is no longer receiving normal blood flow, and therefore, the cells are without oxygen and nutrients. Every minute that passes during a stroke about two million neurons die, cells that receive and send brain signals involved in motor and sensory processes and also in cognitive functions, memory, and thinking.

The ideal method to reduce the risk of death or sequels is to receive specialized care within four hours of the onset of the attack. To do so, it is important to recognize the warning signs.

Symptoms:

• Blurred vision: sudden difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes.

• Paralysis of the face or limbs: sudden numbness of the arms, legs, or one-half of the face. Try to move the extremities at the same time and see if there is a problem.

• Severe headache: a sudden pain accompanied by dizziness, vomiting, and loss of balance.

• Stroke is a medical emergency, if you or someone else has any of these symptoms, take them seriously and act quickly to get medical help. If you are accompanied, go immediately to a hospital, preferably a fourth-level of complexity hospital, or call the emergency line 123.

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Types of stroke 

While this injury is medically referred to as a stroke or cerebrovascular accident, it is very common to hear it also referred to as brain attack, thrombotic, embolic, or hemorrhagic strokes. These more popular names refer directly to what causes the difficulty in the normal flow of blood to the brain.

• Thrombotic or ischemic stroke: when the vessels that supply blood directly to the brain are blocked by a thrombus (blood clot), oxygen is cut off. This is the most common type of stroke and accounts for 80% of all strokes worldwide.

• Embolism or embolic stroke: clots that form in different parts of the body and travel through the bloodstream to the blood vessels in the brain are known as emboli.

• Regardless of where the clot has formed, the first thing the health personnel will do is try to unclog the vessel as soon as possible with the help of injected medication or through a procedure called thrombectomy, which consists of entering the artery to remove the blockage.

• Stroke or hemorrhagic stroke: when there is a condition in the blood vessels, they may rupture and cause bleeding in the brain. It is the least common type of stroke, initial treatment focuses on controlling the bleeding and reducing the pressure in the brain caused by excess fluid.

Among the principal causes of hemorrhagic stroke is a cerebral aneurysm, a disease that dilates the walls of the arteries and makes it easier for them to rupture. Although most patients seek medical help when a stroke is already present, if the aneurysm is identified early it can also be treated by open surgery or intra-arterial surgery.