Disturbance in the Blood Flow to the Brain - Essay Example

Stroke The brain is an important organ of the human body which is associated with the integration and controlling of essential systems in humans. It requires proper nutrition and its major source of energy is glucose and proper oxygenation is also very important for the brain to function normally. Any disturbance in the blood flow to the brain can result in a condition which is referred to stroke which may be associated with altered states resulting due to blockage of the blood vessels, embolization and rupture of an infarct (Kumar et al 2005). It is an important clinical condition which requires proper management and intervention as it is the third leading reason associated with deaths in the United Kingdom. It is also the most important cause of disability in the country. Stroke has been defined by the World Health Organization in the year 1978 as a pathological condition in which signs are observed with regard to alterations in the cerebral activities which persist for a period of more than 24 hours and can even result in the death of the patient. The condition results due to reasons associated with the blood flow and are related to the vascular flow to the brain only (Mc Govern et al 2003).  Stroke is mainly divided into two forms with one resulting as a result of an infarct and is hence referred to as an ischemic stroke and it may also occur due to haemorrhage and it is then known as hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke that is prevalent with 85 percent of the cases presenting with this form of stroke. Ischemic stroke results due to the cardioembolic reasons which fibrillation of the atria or the formation of an embolus due to infective endocarditis. It can also result due to atheroembolic reasons which include carotid atheroma and occlusion of the cerebral artery. Diabetic vasculopathy as well as vasculitis is also associated with this condition. On the other hand hemorrhagic stroke may result due to aneurysm and hypertensive disease of the arteries. In at least 25 percent of the patients who report with stroke, atrial fibrillation is considered to be present which indicates the fact that the formation of the clot might have occurred in the left atrium which then gets detached and obstructs the carotid arteries. In a patient with myocardial infarction, there is a tendency for the formation of clots which might also result in stroke. Atheromas are also associated with resultant stroke. Raised blood pressure, diabetes and high levels of cholesterol in the blood are associated with the blockage of the small vessels in the brain. When the blood supply to the brain is restricted due to occlusion, this results in the death of brain tissue which is supplied by these vessels. Surrounding this area is the part of the brain which is ischemic due to a lower supply of blood which is then known as ischemic penumbra. Neurotransmitter, in particular gluatamate is released in the brain as a result of the stroke. The major aim of the treatment and management is to avoid further destruction of the brain tissue and the revival of the blood supply of the brain (Rudd et al 2002). Alteplase is one such drug which is injected intravenously in the cases of stroke which are acute and is a recommended form of treatment to save the life of the patients and resolve the clots (British National Formulary 2010). The signs and symptoms for stroke are highly variable and may be different in patients (Yoon et al 2002). These differences can be due to the fact that there may be varying degrees of the stroke along with differing areas of the brain being affected which will hence provide for the wide range of these signs and symptoms. Stroke my present with severe headache and the patients may also have nausea and vomiting. The patients can also have altered levels of consciousness and other neurological signs might also be seen. It has also been seen that if the stroke is not of a very high severity, and affects only a small portion of the brain, it might not present with any symptoms as this damage can be compensated for by the normal functioning of the other parts of the brain. The patients might also present with fits. Hemianopia, dysphasia and hemiparesis are some of the signs that are observed in patients who had migraine which led to stroke and can be helpful in the diagnosis of the condition. Stroke needs to be differentiated from other conditions of the brain which include migraine itself, tumours as well as epilepsy (Rudd et al 2003 and Kumar et al 2005). Patients who have once suffered from a stroke in their lifetime have a very high tendency of suffering from it again. Hence, risk factors for stroke need to be identified so that the condition can be dealt with. Raised blood pressure is one of the very major risk factor related to stroke and its correction has shown subsequent reduction in the cases of stroke. Smoking can also lead to increased chances of stroke which can be as high as 50 percent so proper awareness with regard to this can help in reduction. High cholesterol in the blood also predisposes and raises the risk of stroke due to the increased chances of formation of clots. It is believed that normal administration of aspirin in patients with stroke can be helpful in reducing the instances of the condition (Rudd et al 2003). High levels of stress along with increased age and an imbalanced diet with high fats also serve as risk factors for stroke (Yoon et al 2002). Stroke is a condition regarding which proper awareness is necessary to be spread among the general population for which purpose the community health services and the hospital should contribute so that the patients are aware of their condition and can avoid the risk factors and at the same time they can evaluate the signs and symptoms and opt for early treatment so that proper management of the condition can be done (Yoon et al 2002). References: Top of Form (2010). BNF: British national formulary. 60, September 2010. London, Pharmaceutical. Bottom of Form Top of Form KUMAR, V., ABBAS, A. K., FAUSTO, N., ROBBINS, S. L., & COTRAN, R. S. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disease. Philadelphia, Elsevier Saunders. Top of Form MC GOVERN, R., & RUDD, A. (2003). Management of stroke. Postgraduate Medical Journal. 79, 87-92. Top of Form RUDD, A., & WOLFE, C. (2002). The aetiology and pathology of stroke. HOSPITAL PHARMACIST -LONDON-. 9, 32-36. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form YOON, S., & BYLES, J. (2002). Perceptions of stroke in the general public and patients with stroke: a qualitative study. British Medical Journal. 324. Bottom of Form Read More