How to Prevent a Stroke - Essay Example

"How to Prevent a Stroke" is a good example of a paper on neurology.

A stroke comes about when there is a sudden blood supply interruption to a brain part. A stroke can also happen after a blood vessel in the brain bursts spattering blood into the brain cell spaces (Mohr, Choi, Grotta & Wolf, 2004). When brain cells do not receive oxygen and nutrients or get damaged by abrupt bleeding, they die. The loss of oxygen and nutrients for brain cells is known as ischemia.  Ultimately ischemia results in infarction. The infarct is a fluid-filled cavity that eventually replaces the dead brain cells. This paper will discuss the findings of treatments for stroke that have been clinically tried and approved. Some trials were conducted in the hospital's others at the universities as well as research institutions. The trials were funded by the national institute of neurological disorder together with the government. Trials were conducted on willing stroke patients. 

The national institute of the neurological disorder has been conducting clinical trials in stroke. Here are some of the findings from freshly accomplished trials. 

The Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs. Stenting Trial (CREST) 

Carotid endarterectomy has been considered as the typical treatment for stroke prevention. Stenting, on the other hand, is a new and less aggressive procedure. The procedure involves inserting an expandable metal stent (tube) into the carotid artery, keeping it wide with balloon dilation (Dubinsky & Lai 2006). The safety and effectiveness of the two procedures were the same according to the study. The study also indicated that both women and men benefitted equally as well as those persons who had a stroke before as well as those who did not (Mohr, Choi, Grotta & Wolf, 2004).  

Extremity Constraint-Induced Therapy Evaluation (EXCITE) 

Stroke causes impaired movement in the arm and legs. Constant induced movement therapy (CIMT) has revealed capabilities for movement rehabilitation after a stroke. Constant induced movement therapy involves restricting the stronger arm and putting the weaker arm through a series of repetitive exercises (Dubinsky & Lai 2006). 

Warfarin verse Aspirin for Intracranial Arterial Stenosis (WASID) 

This trial aimed at comparing the efficiency of warfarin to aspirin in subsequent stroke prevention. The trial was terminated when warfarin showed adverse side effects (Dubinsky & Lai 2006). The results of this study proved that a high aspirin dosage appeared to be safe and a correspondingly effective cure for intracranial arterial stenosis (clogged arteries in the brain) Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke Trial (IRIS). 

Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke Trial (IRIS) 

The Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke (IRIS) is a trial that tests a therapy built on proof that relates insulin resistance to a bigger threat for stroke and heart attack (Mohr, Choi, Grotta & Wolf, 2004). This experiment aims to establish if pioglitazone, a type 2 drugs for diabetes treatment, can effectively lower stroke risks and heart attack in non-diabetic men and women who may have recently had a stroke then developed insulin resistance (Dubinsky & Lai 2006).   

Conclusion 

Stroke ensues in the unnoticed reaches of the brain. Stroke can be prevented through the treatments mentioned above.  Other treatments include surgery, use of human blood plasma as a neuroprotective advantage in stroke. Lastly, antihypertensive treatment of acute cerebral hemorrhage by intensively managing blood pressure can slow the hemorrhage.