Facts

While I was waiting to go back to my usual self, I managed to learn deeply various elements of what I’m presently engaged at and currently suffers from. Through some research on the internet and medical books, I have found out that stroke statistics would present that,

• more than half a million people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke each year;

• stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability;

• stroke kills about 150,000 Americans each year, or almost one out of three stroke victims;

• three million Americans are currently permanently disabled from stroke;

• in the United States, stroke costs about $30 billion per year in direct costs and loss of productivity;

• two-thirds of strokes occur in people over age 65;

• strokes affect men more often than women, although women are more likely to die from a stroke; and,

• strokes affect blacks more often than whites, and are more likely to be fatal among blacks.

I have also noted that this fatal illness is most likely to strike to Asians. Moreover, it is stated that a stroke occurs when blood flow is interrupted to part of the brain. Without blood to supply oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products, brain cells quickly begin to die. Depending on the region of the brain affected, a stroke may cause paralysis, speech impairment, loss of memory and reasoning ability, coma, or death. A stroke is also sometimes called a brain attack.

Amongst are the clearer views of what are the types:

“There are four main types of stroke. Cerebral thrombosis and cerebral embolism are caused by blood clots that block an artery supplying the brain, either in the brain itself or in the neck. These account for 70–80% of all strokes. Subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage occur when a blood vessel bursts around or in the brain. Cerebral thrombosis occurs when a blood clot, or thrombus, forms within the brain itself, blocking the flowof blood through the affected vessel. Clots most often form due to “hardening” (atherosclerosis) of brain arteries. Cerebral thrombosis occurs most often at night or early in the morning. Cerebral thrombosis is often preceded by a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, sometimes called a “mini-stroke.” In a TIA, blood flow is temporarily interrupted, causing short-lived stroke-like symptoms. Recognizing the occurrence of a TIA, and seeking immediate treatment, is an important step in stroke prevention. Cerebral embolism occurs when a blood clot from elsewhere in the circulatory system breaks free. If it becomes lodged in an artery supplying the brain, either in the brain or in the neck, it can cause a stroke. The most common cause of cerebral embolism is atrial fibrillation, a disorder of the heart beat. In atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers (atria) of the heart beat weakly and rapidly, instead of slowly and steadily. Blood within the atria is not completely emptied. This stagnant blood may form clots within the atria, which can then break off and enter the circulation. Atrial fibrillation is a factor in about 15% of all strokes. The risk of a stroke from atrial fibrillation can be dramatically reduced with daily use of anticoagulant medication.” (GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MEDICINE 2,-Stroke)

intracerebral hemorrhage 

And below classifies my stroke:

“Hemorrhage, or bleeding, occurs when a blood vessel breaks, either from trauma or excess internal pressure. The vessels most likely to break are those with pre-existing defects such as an aneurysm. An aneurysm is a “pouching out” of a blood vessel caused by a weak arterial wall. Brain aneurysms are surprisingly common.

x x x

Intracerebral hemorrhage affects vessels within the brain itself, while subarachnoid hemorrhage affects arteries at the brain’s surface, just below the protective arachnoid membrane. Intracerebral hemorrhages represent about 10% of all strokes, while subarachnoid haemorrhages account for about 7%.” (Ibid)