Acute Stroke

Excerpt

Acute stroke is frequently referred to as a cerebrovascular accident; however, it is essential to note that a stroke is not an accidental event. A more accurate and meaningful term to describe it is "brain attack," which carries a similar significance to "heart attack." However, stroke encompasses a broader range of variations than heart disease. Stroke is categorized into mainly 2 types: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Hemorrhagic strokes are further divided into intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), more specifically, nontraumatic (spontaneous) ICH and nontraumatic (spontaneous aneurysmal) SAH.

Ischemic strokes occur when there is a blockage in a blood vessel, resulting in a restricted blood supply to the brain. In contrast, hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel ruptures, causing blood to leak into the intracranial cavity.

The American Heart Association/The American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) provides a comprehensive definition of stroke. In its simplest form, stroke is an acute episode of focal neurological dysfunction that persists for more than 24 hours.

Stroke ranks as the second leading cause of death worldwide and is a major contributor to disability. Stroke imposes a considerable financial burden due to the costs associated with prehospital, hospital, and posthospital care.

Understanding that the potential for achieving a complete neurological recovery diminishes with every minute of untreated acute stroke is essential. This forms the "time is brain" concept foundation, emphasizing the critical importance of timely evaluation and management of an acute stroke. Early and targeted treatments, rehabilitation programs, and long-term lifestyle modifications can significantly enhance clinical outcomes for individuals with an acute stroke. This can hopefully lead to maximal clinical recovery in each patient and decrease the global impact of stroke.