Cerebrovascular Disease

Cerebrovascular Disease – commonly referred to as a stroke, is an interruption of the blood supply to any part of the brain. This occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is either blocked or breaks open.

Causes

• Blood clots
• Abnormal heart valves
• Endocarditis (infection of the lining of the heart)
• Diabetes
• Family history of stroke
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Increasing age

Symptoms

• Losing consciousness
• Difficulty speaking or understanding others
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty writing or reading
• Headache
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of balance
• Movement changes
• Nausea or vomiting
• Seizure
• Vision changes

Diagnosis:

• Electrocardiogram
• Holter Monitor (24 hour electrocardiogram)
• Carotid ultrasound
• Echocardiogram
• CT scan of brain
• MRI scan of brain

Treatment Options:

• Low fat diet like the Mediterranean diet or low carbohydrate diets
• Aerobic exercise
• Medication to lower and prevent high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood clots
• Carotid stenting
• Carotid endarterectomy (surgery to clean plaque from the carotid artery)
• Physical therapy

Importance: can result in numerous complications that can interfere with quality of life

• Decreased life span
• Difficulty communicating
• Permanent loss of brain functions
• Permanent loss of movement or sensation in one or more parts of the body
• Problems due to loss of mobility
• Muscle spasticity
• Reduced social interactions