Stroke is a very serious medical condition, in the United States it is the fifth leading cause of death. In the United States alone more than 795,000 people will suffer from a stroke, and almost 130,000 will die each year. The total cost of health care services and medications to treat stroke is estimated to be $34 billion each year. Stroke is also the primary cause of severe long-term disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015). African Americans have the highest risk of having a stroke, followed by Hispanic Americans and then White Americans, men are at more risk than women. The risk for stroke increases with age, however it can affect any age group. Across the United States the southeast has the highest death rates
…show more content…
Primary causes of stroke include, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, hypertension, heart disease, and hyperlipidemia (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Stroke is divided into two categories, hemorrhagic and ischemic. A hemorrhagic stroke has the highest incidence of death, it is characterized by excessive blood within the closed cranial cavity. It is due to brain hemorrhage caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracerebral hemorrhage, only 20% of strokes are hemorrhagic (Caplan, 2014). Intracerebral hemorrhage is when a blood vessel within the brain bursts and leaks into the surrounding brain tissue. Brain cells past the leak are deprived of blood and become damaged. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is when an artery near the surface of the brain bursts open and leaks into the space between the skull and brain surface. This type of stroke is often signaled by a severe and sudden headache (Mayo Clinic, …show more content…
When a stroke occurs there is an absence or reduction of blood supply, as a result the brain is blocked from receiving oxygen and nutrients. When tissue is stopped from receiving oxygen for longer than 3-4 minutes, it starts to die. There are several different kinds of disabilities that can arise due to stroke, depending on the location and extent of the damage within the brain (Cleveland Clinic, 2015). Some of the issues that can emerge are left or right sided weakness or numbness, memory loss, vision changes, confusion, difficulty understanding or speaking works, problems communicating, dysphagia, and personality changes (Cleveland Clinic,
Primary causes of stroke include, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, hypertension, heart disease, and hyperlipidemia (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Stroke is divided into two categories, hemorrhagic and ischemic. A hemorrhagic stroke has the highest incidence of death, it is characterized by excessive blood within the closed cranial cavity. It is due to brain hemorrhage caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracerebral hemorrhage, only 20% of strokes are hemorrhagic (Caplan, 2014). Intracerebral hemorrhage is when a blood vessel within the brain bursts and leaks into the surrounding brain tissue. Brain cells past the leak are deprived of blood and become damaged. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is when an artery near the surface of the brain bursts open and leaks into the space between the skull and brain surface. This type of stroke is often signaled by a severe and sudden headache (Mayo Clinic, …show more content…
When a stroke occurs there is an absence or reduction of blood supply, as a result the brain is blocked from receiving oxygen and nutrients. When tissue is stopped from receiving oxygen for longer than 3-4 minutes, it starts to die. There are several different kinds of disabilities that can arise due to stroke, depending on the location and extent of the damage within the brain (Cleveland Clinic, 2015). Some of the issues that can emerge are left or right sided weakness or numbness, memory loss, vision changes, confusion, difficulty understanding or speaking works, problems communicating, dysphagia, and personality changes (Cleveland Clinic,