What is CVA or Cerebrovascular Accident? The Different Types of Stroke and How They May Occur
77You often hear the word stroke, yet, some people do not really know what is CVA or stroke. They may have seen it in TV, in the paper, or seen someone suffering from it. What most people see is that a person who has stroke, or suffer from an attack of stroke, typically has a paralyzed body. Indeed, this is one definite sign that a person had an attack.
Stroke, medical term CVA, is also called a brain attack. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain breaks thereby interrupting blood flow to the brain or to an area inside it. It also occurs when a blood clot forms in the artery impeding the flow of blood from the heart to the brain. Less or no blood flow means less or no oxygen in the brain killing brain cells resulting in brain damage.
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The brain controls the body and if brain cells die, you lose the abilities controlled by that area. You could lose your memory, movement and speech. You could see it in stroke victims who cannot speak or move well, or is amnesic. However, the effect of the attack depends on the degree of brain damage or where the attack occurs. Small or mild stroke victims may only suffer weakness of the limbs, while a person who has a larger stroke may be paralyzed.
Types of Stroke:
According to the National Stroke Association, there are two (2) types of stroke. These are Ischemic Stroke and Hemorrhagic Stroke.
CVA Type: Hemorrhagic Stroke
Breakage of the artery to the brain causes hemorrhage. This is due to a weak arterial wall present in aneurysm or chronic high blood pressure.
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH)
Bleeding occurs in the space between the skull and the brain and can happen to anyone without you noticing it.
- Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Bleeding happens inside the brain surrounding the tissue with blood. Severe high blood pressure causes this.
Types of CVA
CVA Type: Ischemic Stroke
Ischemia is the medical term to describe an inadequate blood supply to an area of the body, and this type occurs when flow of blood to the brain is cut off due to the presence of blood clots. Normally, blood clotting is needed in the body. Clots work by slowing and stopping the bleeding from a wound. However, in stroke cases, the blood clots cause ischemia. This type is also referred to as cerebral infarction.
- Embolic Stroke
This type of ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot somewhere in the body travels to your brain blocking the passage of blood.
- Thrombotic Stroke
This other type is caused by a blood clot formed within the artery inside the brain. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, also causes clot formation because of the buildup of fatty deposits.
To know what is stroke is only the first step to fight it off. As with any diseases and illnesses, your most important tool is education and understanding. To help yourself and your loved ones, know what is CVA; its symptoms, how it is managed, and how to prevent it. There is nothing more that you need than this.
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Will read on this link. I haven't heard of this disease yet (or maybe I just didn't know the exact term). Thanks for the link.
It's really a stunner. My daughter's manifested first with the TIAs, and after the stroke she still exhibits some of the following symptoms but they come at intervals: disturbed consciousness, speech deficits (usually aphasia), sensory and cognitive impairments, involuntary movements. I live with her and her husband. It's strange that anything at all that she knew how to do before the stroke she can still do...without any problems at all. When it comes to learning new things, it just that...like in kindergarten. Her short-term memory is almost non-existent. She cooks, drives, shops, does pretty much anything she wants to. But, when something new or unusual comes along, she does not retain that knowledge. There are brain games, etc., that she does to re-train her brain and does well with them.
ruthclark3 Level 3 Commenter 3 months ago
Very useful information. My daughter had a stroke some years ago, a result of moyamoya disease. It was discovered in Japan, I believe in the '60s. It's not really common. It bears looking at since it can run in families. The link is here:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/moyamoya/moyamo