Understanding the Various Stroke Causes

Naturally, a stroke occurs in the brain. Sometimes, people refer to it as brain attack. However, stroke is essentially a type of cardiovascular disease. Stroke occurs when there is abnormality of blood in the brain. For instance, an ischemic stroke can be caused by too little blood while a hemorrhagic stroke can be caused by too much blood.

Types of Stroke Causes
There are basically two kinds of strokes – the ischemic and the hemorrhagic stroke. These are triggered by different factors. Essentially, there are only two stroke causes. There are – artery blockage and rupture of an artery.

Artery blockage could take the form of a clogged artery, hardened artery and brain embolism. Artery blockage results in ischemic stroke. Ischemic strokes occur when there are blood clots in the brain. This caused severe reduction in the brain's blood flow. The brain cells are then deprived of oxygen and they would begin to disintegrate or die with minutes.

On the other hand, a rupture artery could take the form of a cerebral haemorrhage or a subarachnoid haemorrhage. A ruptured artery results to hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhagic basically means bleeding. This happens when a brain blood vessel leaks or ruptures. This type of stroke can be attributed to hypertension, aneurysms and sometimes, arteriovenous malformation.

Stroke Information – Factors Contributing to Risk
There are a lot of factors that contribute to the treatment for stroke. The same factors could also risk the chances of developing heart diseases. Some of these factors include:

a. Genetics or family history. This is primarily the number one cause of stroke. The risk is higher if a parent or a sibling has a history of this disease.

"My mother had a slight stroke, am I at risk?" Yes. Genetics is a risk factor for both mild and debilitating stroke. You are also at risk if one of your parents or siblings had a history of TIA.

b. Age. Your risk of getting a stroke is increased as you grow older. This is especially true among middle-aged individuals and older individuals. The body cannot pump out blood the way it used to. You could say that the wear and tear have taken their toll on your body. This is why older people are encouraged to have good eating habits.

c. Sex. Stroke is a bad news for men. Men are at greater risk of getting a stroke than women.

d. Race. African Americans or Blacks are at greater risk of developing a stroke than other races. There is no exact reason for this. However, it is a advisable to be aware of the risk if you are an African American.

e. Hypertension or high blood pressure. Often, this is the major cause of stroke. Hypertension weakens the brain's blood vessels, leaving your brain vulnerable to haemorrhage or atherosclerosis. To avoid stroke, you should have a healthy diet and regular exercise.

f. Bad cholesterol. Too much low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in your diet increases your risk of getting a stroke. Limit your consumption of bad LDLs.

g. Cardiovascular diseases. Heart diseases may cause embolic clots which could found their way to your brain.

There are still many factors that could cause stroke. Essentially, however, if you would like to avoid stroke, you should live a healthy life.

How to Live a Healthy Stroke Free Life

A stroke can be devastating. It could change your life in a mere second. A stroke occurs suddenly. If it is not prevented, it could result to paralysis or death. Actually, it is easier to prevent stroke than to treat it. Once you have a stroke, brain cells are oftentimes irreparably damaged; although, there are times when the brain could heal itself.

The stroke rehabilitation is also extremely taxing. Often, people do not completely recover from stroke. So, to lessen the chances of you having a stroke, it is important that you know stroke treatment prevention measures.

Do not Invite Heart Diseases
It is interesting to note that stroke is regarded as a cardiovascular disease. The stroke occurs in the brain but it triggered by weak vessels or abnormal blood flow. It is very important, therefore, that use all stroke prevention measures possible to keep your heart healthy. You can do this by:

a. Adopt a healthy eating habit. Avoid oily, salty and fatty foods. It is a good idea to get a healthy dose of Omega 3. Cod liver oil and Omega 3 supplements could help. Avoid saturated fats but replace them with polyunsaturated fats. Avoid or moderate alcohol intake.

b. Visit your doctor regularly. Have regular cholesterol checks.

c. Keep tabs on your blood pressure. Make sure you do not develop hypertension or you avoid developing one.

d. Be familiar with your family history. This could contribute to the risk of you developing a heart disease.

e. Avoid developing diabetes. If you have a family history of developing diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetes. If you have diabetes, make sure you get proper treatment for it. Diabetes can cause atherosclerosis.

Adopt Healthy Personal Habits
It is very important that you adopt healthy habits. Some people do not know that keeping your gums healthy is a good way to prevent stroke. Gum diseases could put you at risk. Here are some things that you can do to prevent stroke through personal habits:

a. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day.

b. Visit your dentist regularly.

c. Do not smoke. People may not know that stroke causes may be directly attributed to smoking.

Keeping Yourself Fit and Healthy
People who are overweight are at great risk of eventually getting a stroke. They are at greater risk of developing fat deposits in the brain. You can keep yourself fit and healthy through proper diet and regular exercise. If you're trying to lose weight, however, make sure that you adopt measures that are healthy. Low-calorie diet and regular exercise is a great way to lose weight. Regular exercise is extremely important. This promotes healthy blood circulation and keeps the heart strong. You'd also be able to control your weight if you are exercising regularly. People who have sedentary jobs are often at risk of developing diabetes and hypertension. Make sure that you hit the gym at least three times a week. A 30-minute walk daily is also a great way to lose weight. Vary your exercise so you won't get bored.