Why is a stroke caused?
A stroke or cerebral vascular accident can have two causes: one due to lack of irrigation (ischemic stroke) and the other due to rupture of cerebral vessels (hemorrhagic stroke). The most common immediate cause of ischemic stroke is cerebral embolism. It may also be due to thrombosis of cerebral arteries. The intermediate cause of an embolism may be stenosis of a carotid artery or the presence of thrombi or clots in the heart. The most frequent cause of a cerebral hemorrhage is the rupture of an aneurysm or cerebral malformation.
What symptoms or warning signs are generated by a stroke?
Both strokes and cerebral hemorrhages occur acutely, without warning. The warning symptoms of embolism are lack of mobility or tingling of the extremities on one side of the body (right arm and leg for example), slurred speech, deviation of the corner of the mouth, loss of consciousness, etc. The most common symptom of cerebral hemorrhages is a relevant headache, accompanied by nausea or vomiting. Subsequently, symptoms similar to embolic accidents may appear, leading to coma.
Does it always leave after-effects? What types of after-effects can it leave?
Fortunately, not all strokes leave after-effects. There are so-called transient ischemic attacks which, as their name suggests, are transient and self-limiting. It is a good opportunity to study the causes and act before another event is not more serious. Those cerebral vascular accidents that are treated urgently in stroke units usually have a better prognosis. When vascular brain damage occurs, the affected brain area is larger due to an inflammatory effect that magnifies the symptoms. But once the inflammation is resolved, it is only the injured area that can generate sequelae. On the other hand, there are extensive areas of our brains that have no function, which explains why sometimes old infarcts are discovered in MRIs or scans without having suffered any symptoms.
In any case, it is advisable to consult your doctor if you have a family or personal history of what could be a stroke in order to consider the need to investigate possible latent causes.