29 Oct 2024        12:40:21 pm

Biology

Strokes

Tags : Strokes

Topic: Health

Why in the news?

• India has seen a staggering increase in the number of stroke cases in the last three decades, according to a new study published in the journal Lancet Neurology. The country recorded over 1.25 million new stroke cases in 2021 compared to 650,000 in 1990, an increase of 51 per cent.

Source: Down To Earth

About Strokes:

• These are also known as brain attacks.
• These are neurological emergencies characterized by sudden brain tissue damage due to either the blockage or rupture of a blood vessel. 
• These are the 2nd most common cause of death and disability worldwide after heart disease.
• There are two main types of strokes:
  • Ischemic Stroke (Brain Infarct): It occurs due to the blockage of a blood vessel supplying the brain. It constitutes 87% of all strokes and can result from a thrombus (clot) following cholesterol deposition or a clot arising from the heart or blood vessels.
  • Hemorrhagic Stroke (Brain Hemorrhage): It involves the rupture of a blood vessel supplying the brain, leading to the accumulation of blood in the brain tissue or surrounding area. Hemorrhagic strokes constitute 13% of all strokes.
• Common symptoms of a stroke include sudden weakness of one limb or one side of the body, slurred speech, loss of facial symmetry, inability to speak, double vision, loss of balance, dizziness, swallowing difficulties, severe headaches, vomiting, and a dip in consciousness levels.
• Risk factors for strokes include genetic causes, age (especially in elderly males and postmenopausal females), race (with black individuals at higher risk), obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco consumption, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart valve or rhythm disorders.

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