Page 9 - Seniors Today - Oct 2019

Rupture of blood vessel Aneurysm : weakening of wall of artery causing
outpouching and its rupture
action can minimise damage to the brain tissue Other causes are a weak spot in the wall of a
as well as complications. brain artery known as an aneurysm. The wall
In a stroke, the arteries carrying blood to the bulges out into a thin bubble, as it gets bigger
brain are affected. There are two different types the wall may weaken and bursts. Another
of strokes, ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. cause is rupture of a small tangle of thin walled
Ischemic stroke is the most common, accounting abnormal vessels known as an arteriovenous
for 80 per cent of strokes. In an ischemic stroke, malformation or over treatment/side effect
arteries carrying blood to the brain get blocked. of blood thinners. There are two types of
The brain tissue supplied by this blocked artery hemorrhagic stroke - intracerebral haemorrhage
gets damaged. There are two main causes for when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and
ischemic stroke - a thrombotic or embolic stroke. spills into surrounding brain tissue damaging
In a thrombotic stroke, there is deposition of brain cells and the other type is subarachnoid
fatty material in the arteries supplying the brain haemorrhage where an artery near surface
especially in individuals with a high blood of brain bursts and spills into space between
cholesterol level]. This fatty material plaque surface of brain and skull.
narrows the blood vessel and finally obstructs Effects of a Stroke
it blocking blood from reaching the brain. This
most likely happens in the neck at a site known
as carotid bifurcation or within the brain. An
embolic stroke occurs usually as a result of
a blood clot in the heart which is propelled
upwards into the blood vessels supplying the
brain to cause obstruction of the artery. It may
also occur if a piece of fatty plaque in the neck
arteries plaque breaks off and extends forward
to block the arteries in the brain.
The second type of stroke is a haemorrhagic
stroke, where blood vessels in the brain may
burst. This occurs when a blood vessel in the
brain bursts and spills blood into the brain
tissue. There are many causes which make
a blood vessel wall weak to burst. The most
common reason is due to high blood pressure.

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