CareBox

Brain Stroke: Types and Tests Required for Diagnosis 

A stroke is a medical emergency caused by a reduction of blood flow to part of your brain. A blocked artery or bleeding in your brain leads most often to a stroke. Due to the lack of continuous blood supply, brain cells in that portion of the brain start to perish due to oxygen deprivation. 

A test is used to help make an identification of which disease the patient has endured, based on their symptoms and signs, as stated by their healthcare providers. Diagnostic tests can also help in devising proper treatment, in determining success with treatment, and in creating a prognosis. 

What is a brain stroke? 

A stroke in the brain is akin to a traffic jam in your brain. The blood, which is supplying oxygen and nutrition to your brain cells, clogs or leaks. It destroys brain cells, leading to complications like weakness, numbness, trouble with speech, and vision problems. 

Doctors create pictures of your brain with special machines to determine if there’s a blockage or bleeding. They may even draw blood to look for other disorders that raise your risk of having a stroke. Early treatment and diagnosis are extremely critical to prevent brain cells from dying and enhancing recovery. 

Two types of stroke 

Ischemic Stroke: It is the most common type, which occurs when a clot stops the flow of blood to the brain. 

Hemorrhagic Stroke: It occurs because of a tear in one of the brain’s blood vessels, resulting in bleeding. 

Key diagnostic procedures 

CT Scan 

A CT scan is dependent upon X-rays to capture images of the brain. 

It is capable of identifying bleeding in the brain, a feature of hemorrhagic stroke. 

It can also seek signs of an ischemic stroke, such as reduced flow of blood to areas of the brain. 

MRI Scan (Book Now

Radio waves and a strong magnet use an MRI to produce images of the brain in detail. 

It may possibly be able to detect slight changes of brain tissue, which cannot be detected using CT scanning. 

It is able to identify how widespread and where brain damage is and brain damage due to any underlying pathologic condition. 

Risk Factors for Brain Stroke 

It is important to know the risk factors of stroke in order to prevent it. Some of the key risk factors are 

High Blood Pressure: It is the highest risk factor. 

High Cholesterol: Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to the development of plaques in arteries. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q. How to detect a brain stroke 

Cerebral hemorrhage or brain cell injury due to a stroke. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) takes pictures of your brain by employing magnets and radio waves. MRI can replace — or be used in place of — a CT scan to diagnose a stroke. 

Q. What is best for stroke 

Computer tomography (CT) scan: A CT scan employs X-rays while capturing the image of the brain. A head CT usually is one of the initial investigations in the case of a stroke. 

Q. Which drug avoids stroke? 

Antiplatelet drugs, statins, and antihypertensive drugs are the mainstays of drug therapy for secondary prevention of stroke. 

Q. Do you 100% recover after a stroke? 

Recovery will take weeks, months, or years. Others will be disabled the rest of their life, while others will be fully recovered. 

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