What is a stroke?

Stroke (apoplexy), also referred to as a “brain attack” by most medical professionals, is a neurological disorder that develops when the brain receives a reduced blood supply or an essential blood vessel in the brain ruptures abruptly.

What are the typical signs of a stroke?

• Difficulty with speech
• Paralysis in the leg, arm, or face
• Challenges with sight
• Headaches (with brain haemorrhages)
• Difficulty walking

What normally causes a stroke?

Stroke may result from the following:

• A blockage in the artery is known as an ischemic stroke.

OR

• Rupturing of a blood vessel, also called haemorrhagic stroke.

There is another form of stroke that remains temporary, meaning you only develop a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, a condition known as transient ischemic attack (TIA), which doesn’t lead to long-lasting symptoms.

How does a neurologist treat stroke?

Treatment for a stroke depends on the type of stroke the patient suffers. For example, you must seek immediate medical care when you develop a stroke that leads to bleeding in the brain.

For an ischemic stroke, a neurologist works quickly to regulate a healthy and steady flow of blood to the brain. There are many ways to ensure the brain receives an adequate supply of blood, such as the following:

• Intravenous medications to help dissolve a blood clot in the brain. The quicker these medications are administered, the better the patient’s prognosis.
• Endovascular interventions involve administering medications directly to the brain using a long, slender tube (catheter), which is inserted through a blood vessel within the groin region and guides it to the brain where the stroke occurred.

Another endovascular technique involves removing the blood clot using a stent. The device connected to the end of the catheter is used to retrieve the blood clot from the obstructed blood vessel in the brain.