Stroke

Short characteristic of a disease

In the literal translation from Latin the word "stroke" means "jump" or "jump". In principle, our ancestors very precisely defined essence of this artful disease because the stroke of a brain is characterized by sudden disappearance or essential disturbance of brain functions, as a rule, leading to the death of the person within 24-48 hours. Let's notice that directly the stroke is a one-time event, but it is preceded by rather long process of functional changes and irreversible damages of a brain.

Types of a stroke

Depending on that as the stroke proves, symptoms of a disease are subdivided into several types and create the main classification of a disease:

• the ischemic stroke – makes 80% from among all registered cases, is connected with acute disorders to blood supplies of certain sites of a brain;
• hemorrhagic stroke – symptoms of a disease are shown at treatment by blood of various sites of a brain or at an intracerebral hematoma;
• subarachnoidal hemorrhages – arise at a rupture of blood vessels of a meninx;
• approximately in 5% of cases the reason of a stroke remains obscure.

Timely diagnosis of pathological changes in a brain of the person is essential for early identification of serious problems and prevention of strokes of all types. For this reason in all clinics of the world the modern equipment which allows to reveal coming "explosion" in time is implemented and to take measures to, but not after a stroke. One of the most effective and well proved technologies of diagnosis is the computer tomography.

Stroke – symptoms and a clinical picture

In most cases the disease begins suddenly, very quickly develops and quite often leads to the death of the person or irreversible damages of a brain. The attack can last as several minutes, and 1-2 days, but also in that, and in other case human life is exposed to danger because of bystry death of brain fabric. For the person who endured a stroke, rehabilitation is an integral part of treatment as it allows to stop expansion of area of defeat and leads to considerable improvement of quality of life. Nevertheless, we are forced to notice once again, as an ischemic, and hemorrhagic stroke cause irreversible damages of a meninx, that is, any person has to know about by what signs it is possible to determine approach of an attack and how to work at a sudden, spasmodic course of a disease.

Symptoms of a stroke depend on what part of a brain is exposed to changes. As a rule, the person feels easy oppression of consciousness and a depression in advance. Also patients are not capable to manage the emotions, are easily excited and long recover composure. Directly during an attack the following symptoms are brightly shown:

• hemorrhagic stroke – sharp, "knife-like" head pain, a loss of consciousness, spasms, drowsiness, block, frequent nausea and vomiting;
• ischemic stroke – signs are indistinct, accrue gradually. This form of a disease is characterized by head pains, hoarse breath, skin discoloration, repeated vomiting and a loss of consciousness at late stages. After a stroke paralyzes and paresis, nape muscle tension, a meningeal syndrome, weak-mindedness are often observed.

In principle, directly at the time of an attack to define a stroke does not make any problems as paralysis of extremities, difficulties with breath, alalias and consciousnesses are shown at the same time, and it considerably simplifies diagnosis. Other business if at the patient the so-called passing stroke of a brain develops. In this case the doctor of the arrived "ambulance" can see before himself absolutely healthy person and make a false picture of the taken place events in spite of the fact that several minutes prior to its arrival the patient could not talk and did not feel the extremities. Respectively, at any symptoms of damage of a brain of action of medical staff have to come down to one – urgent hospitalization of the patient.

First aid after a stroke

The first that you have to make, having suspected a stroke, so it to call "Ambulance". Relatives of many patients waste time, uselessly rushing about on the apartment while the precious minutes allowing to keep to the person life leave. Do not repeat widespread mistakes. At the diagnosis a stroke, treatment of the patient it has to be carried out only by professionals in specially equipped clinics, and the first hours of development of a disease when there is a chance in time to stop dying off of tissues of brain are extremely important.

Self-treatment at a stroke senselessly and, moreover, is extremely dangerous, but, nevertheless, before arrival of "ambulance" you can take a number of actions for improvement of a condition of the patient:

• lay the victim on high pillows so that the head was raised over bed level approximately on 30 cm;
• provide inflow of fresh air to the room;
• release the patient's neck, undo a hard collar of a shirt and get rid of the constraining clothes;
• if at the person the stroke which symptoms are expressed in the increased arterial pressure is observed, give to the patient drug, the reducing ABP;
• at vomiting turn the patient's head on one side that emetic masses did not get into airways. Carefully clear an oral cavity after each attack of vomiting.

It, perhaps, everything that you can make in house conditions. All other actions are under authority of doctors who have to appoint to the patient necessary diagnostic procedures and resolve an issue of expediency of surgical intervention. The last is often applied after the stroke caused by a stenosis (narrowing) of a carotid artery. If it leads to restriction of intake of blood in a brain, then the surgeon carries out a section on a neck, deletes a dangerous plaque and sews up a carotid artery. Similar operations are fulfilled long ago, but from it they do not become less dangerous as after their carrying out serious complications are possible. Besides, an operative measure is contraindicated to many patients because of the accompanying cardiac pathologies and some other diseases.

Rehabilitation after a stroke

The beneficial influence of the sanatorium treatment considerably reducing risk of repeated strokes was noticed in the 19th century. At the heart of rehabilitation actions for the people who had a stroke lie: sea bathings, mud cure, mineral waters and suitable (it is the best of all – mountain) climate. At the same time treatment is appointed only 4-6 months later after the person had a hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke as doctors need to estimate effects of an attack and to appoint procedures depending on a condition of the patient.

If at the patient serious complications after a stroke are observed, rehabilitation is contraindicated to it. Are among such complications: the expressed motive and speech disturbances, mental changes, dysfunction of pelvic bodies, inability of the person to independently service itself, epilepsy, heavy arrhythmias, an aortic aneurysm and the expressed circulatory unefficiency.

At the choice of the resort you have to be guided by recommendations of the doctor, in view of a condition of the patient, disorder of vegetative regulation, meteodependence and other important factors.

Before a trip it is desirable to undergo comprehensive examination of an organism that possible troubles with health did not spoil to you and your relatives medical rest on a nature bosom.