What is a Hemorrhagic Stroke?

Author: Keith Londrie
The hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel inside the brain bursts. The bleeding damages the surrounding brain tissue. The brain cells are much more gentle and sensitive than any other cells in the human body. The bleeding increases the pressure applied to the brain cells that surround the bleeding and this is what causes the damage.

The most common cause of hemorrhagic stroke is high blood pressure. Another cause is an aneurysm. It causes the blood vessel wall to become thinner and bust at some point. Stroke can also be caused by the accumulation of a protein called amyloid within the artery walls, particularly in the elderly. This makes the arteries more prone to bleeding.

Hemorrhagic strokes form nearly 20% of all stroke cases. It may occur in all ages and the average risk age is lower than the ischemic stroke risk age.

The symptoms of the hemorrhagic stroke include weakness or inability to move some part of the body, numbness or lost of sensation, decrease or lost vision, speech difficulties, disorientation and inability to recognize familiar faces, sudden headache, dizziness, etc.

The hemorrhagic stroke can be treated through a surgery or with medication only. Depending on the severity, treatment includes lifesaving measures, relief of symptoms and repair of the cause of the bleeding. Surgery can help reducing the brain damage caused by the stroke as well as quicken the recovery. Regardless of the treatment chosen a person who has suffered a hemorrhagic stroke needs a serious long term treatment. Most of the patients need physical therapy, other need behavior modification or family counseling.

There are different types of hemorrhagic stroke - subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage. The subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel in the area between the brain and the skull starts bleeding. The intracerebral hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel deep inside the brain starts bleeding. Both types may be caused by structural problems with the arteries such as aneurysm or Arteriovenous Malformation.

The aneurysm is a week area in the blood vessel wall that fills with blood and bulges. High blood pressure or an injury may cause the bulge to rupture and start bleeding. Arteriovenous Malformation is a malformation of the brain's blood vessels. This kind of malformation is usually present since birth and develops slowly with time. It characterizes with weak blood vessels that increases the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke.

Strokes can be very scary.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-is-a-hemorrhagic-stroke-179398.html

About the Author:
Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

Improving the Outcome of Stroke

Author: Jim Martinez
The majority of strokes occur when a blood clot lodges in a blood vessel, blocking blood flow to a portion of your brain (ischemic stroke). The group of brain cells normally nourished by the oxygen in the affected blood vessels dies almost immediately after blood flow is blocked, while surrounding brain cells experience reduced blood flow.

Although the benefits of early stroke treatment are clear, only a small percentage of people who have a stroke receive optimal treatment. Almost half the 167,000 people who die of stroke each year die before they ever reach a hospital, and a greater percentage of these people are women. Why? Most of the evidence points toward a delay in seeking or receiving treatment.

Knowing the risk factors for stroke, recognizing the warning signs and seeking prompt emergency care can help improve the outcome if you or someone you know has a stroke.

Every Second Counts
The majority of strokes occur when a blood vessel, blocking blood flow to a portion of your brain (ischemic stroke). Similar to a heart attack, a stroke can be considered a "brain attack". The group of brain cells normally nourished by the oxygen in the affected blood vessel dies almost immediately after the blood is blocked, while surrounding brain cells experience reduced blood flow. Your brain cells can tolerate this slowdown in blood flow only briefly before permanent damage begins to occur. The longer the wait until blood flow is restored, the more damage that's done.

Stroke is a potentially treatable disease when caught early on its onset. Given the narrow window of opportunity to halt stroke damage and prevent serious complications, prompt treatment is critical to obtaining the best possible outcome.

What's Behind the Delay
There are many possible reasons why people put off seeking treatment for stroke symptoms. One may be lack of awareness of the symptoms of stroke. Signs and symptoms of heart attack have been drilled into the public consciousness on a much greater and more widespread level than have the warning signs of stroke.

Another important factor - and one that is inherently harder to address - is that symptoms of stroke can be disabling, leading to impaired movement, communication and thinking. This can prevent a person from calling for help and is particularly concerning for the person who lives alone.

Surprisingly, perhaps, calling your doctor instead of calling an emergency number such as 911 is another cause for delay. After hearing your symptoms, your doctor will most likely tell you to seek emergency care, but in the meantime, precious minutes are lost. When you experience signs and symptoms of stroke (or heart attack), call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Individual characteristics also have an effect on how long it takes to seek help. For example, not taking your symptoms seriously, wanting to tough it out for being unaware that you're at risk can all contribute to delay in treatment.

More pre-hospital stroke deaths occur among women than among men, and research suggests that women experience longer delays to treatment than men do. Why this occurs is unclear, but part of the reason may be that women, and sometimes their doctors, aren't always fully aware or convinced that they're at risk of heart disease and stroke.

The Importance of Prompt Treatment
Possibly the most effective treatment for ischemic stroke, and the one most likely to improve your chances of a full recovery, is injection of a clot-busting (thrombolytic) drug - such as a tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) - to dissolve a blood clot.

Sometimes this clot-buster is delivered through your artery system directly to the site of the blockage. The drug may also be given into a vein, in which case the therapy must start within three hours of the onset of symptoms. After this period, the risks of the therapy - bleeding and possible brain hemorrhage - begin to outweigh its benefits. Some cases of ischemic stroke may not be compatible with TPA therapy. TPA therapy also isn't used to treat hemorrhagic stroke, a less common type of stroke caused by a blood vessel rupturing and bleeding into the brain.

Other treatment options available at some medical centers include use of a tiny instrument called a "retrieval device" that can directly remove the clot from the blocked artery. New treatments are under study, as well. All of these potential treatments require prompt medical attention. Clot-busting therapy must start within three hours of the onset of symptoms. After this period, the risks of the therapy - bleeding and possible brain hemorrhage - begin to outweigh it's benefits.

After an ischemic stroke, your doctor may perform several tests, including blood tests and an evaluation of your arteries and heart. This will assist your doctor in determining the best way of preventing another stroke. A program to prevent further strokes may include use of certain blood thinners, and your doctor may recommend surgery or a balloon procedure to unblock or widen the arteries to your brain if they're severely narrowed.

Reducing Your Risk
Women are just as much at risk of stoke as are men, so don't make the mistake of thinking the possibility of a stroke doesn't apply to you. In addition, many factors can increase your risk. Some factors you can't control, such as a family history of stroke and increasing age. But there are other risk factors that are more manageable, including high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, smoking, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, drug and alcohol abuse, and cardiovascular disease. The risk associated with these factors can often be reduced through diet, exercise and medications, when needed.

There are also risk factors to which women may be particularly susceptible. These include migraines with aura (visual disturbances preceding a migraine); use of oral contraceptives or oral hormone therapy; autoimmune diseases, such a lupus; or a clotting disorder, sometimes indicated by multiple miscarriages, blood clots in your lungs or legs, or a condition marked by purplish, net-like discoloration of your skin (livedo reticularis ).

Your doctor can help you estimate your personal risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke, over the next ten years. Knowing what your risk is can motivate you to take the steps needed to prevent a stroke.

Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Stoke
Knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke may make it possible for you or someone you know to get prompt treatment. The warning signs usually occur suddenly; frequently there's more than one. They include:

1. Sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis of your face, or leg - usually on one side of your body.
2. Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech (aphasia).
3. Sudden blurred, double or decreased vision.
4. Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination.
5. A sudden, severe, "bolt out of the blue" headache or an unusual headache, which may be accompanied by a stiff neck, vomiting or decreased consciousness.
6. Confusion, or problems with memory, spatial orientation or perception.

If these symptoms occur briefly and then go away, you may be experiencing a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA is a temporary interruption of blood flow to a part of your brain. The signs and symptoms of TIA are the same as for a stroke, but they last for a shorter period - several minutes to 24 hours - and then disappear, without leaving apparent permanent effects. A TIA should be taken very seriously. It indicates an underlying risk that a full-blown stroke may follow. See a doctor immediately.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/improving-the-outcome-of-stroke-102530.html

About the Author:
Jim Martinez is a National Sales Director with Ameriplan USA. Offering discount dental and health plans for individuals or households. Any age or prexisting conditions are accepted and plans start at only $11.95 per month. Be sure to visit the section on health articles for more quality information.

Lower Your Cholesterol and Increase Your Chance of Stroke

by: Lee Cummings

Recently, The New York Times published an article entitled – “U.S. calls for major cholesterol reductions” and which was also printed in numerous local papers.

Sounds like a great way to fight heart disease, right?

Let’s take a look at what the article does not tell you about lowering your cholesterol. Because you must understand the effects of artificially lowering your cholesterol levels without implementing other strategies which are crucial to your health.

Because the fact of the matter is the Framingham Heart study - which has followed people for over 5 decades - proved without a doubt that LDL cholesterol is just one of many misleading factors of heart disease.

In fact, LDL cholesterol levels are only a very minor factor of heart disease and only under certain conditions.

Here is a quote from Christie Ballantyne, M.D., a cardiologist from the Baylor College of Medicine – “The majority of people who end up having heart attacks or stroke don’t have high cholesterol.”

Here is another quote from an article in the Red Flags Daily By Malcolm Kendrick, M.D. who talks about the Framingham Study results as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“There is a direct association between falling cholesterol levels over the first 14 years and mortality over the following 18 years.”

You guessed it, the mortality rate goes UP.

Scientific research has also proved without a doubt that as people lower their LDL cholesterol level, their chances for stroke go up.

Using cholesterol lowering drugs may artificially lower cholesterol levels, however, they will also increase the death rate from stroke. And because of toxicity to the body, you will also face liver and kidney failure.

You see, your body not only produces cholesterol, it also needs cholesterol for a variety of functions. Cholesterol is an essential part of each and every cell membrane.

Cholesterol also provides the critical starting point and building block for the steroid hormones in our bodies. These hormones include testosterone and estrogen.

As you can see, cholesterol itself is not bad. It is the oxidation of cholesterol which is just one of the factors of developing heart disease.

Oxidation of cholesterol is the more specific problem which would enable the cholesterol to become "sticky" and start to form plaque in the walls of the arteries.

We have all seen an apple cut open and watch as it turns brown - this is oxidation. Your body will oxidize on the inside unless steps are taken to help prevent this.

The way to keep oxidation from damaging your cholesterol is to zap them with antioxidants!

You can keep oxidation of cholesterol in check by eating plenty of food and supplements which are rich in anti-oxidants.

A few of the most powerful anti-oxidants are:

· CoenzymeQ10

· Vitamin E

· Vitamin A

· Vitamin C

And the mother of all anti-oxidants - Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA).ALA is produced naturally by your body but, as you age, your body produces less and less. Low cost food sources which you can easily get, which are high in omega 3's and the right fats to help keep your cholesterol levels in balance.

· Garlic

· Ginger

· Olive oil

· Olives

· Almonds

· Walnuts

· Flaxseed

· Eggplant

· Okra

· Organic Eggs

· Fresh fruit

These are easily purchased, safe, proven and natural ways to prevent cholesterol from becoming a problem.

And if you are someone who truly needs to lower their cholesterol, there is an organic plant alcohol from sugar cane which is one of the most powerful ways to reduce bad cholesterol levels. It’s called - Policosanol.

As for the majority of you, focus on raising your HDL cholesterol levels because as you raise your good cholesterol it decreases the concern about your LDL levels of cholesterol and gives you a better total cholesterol profile.

Some of the best ways to improve your “Good” or HDL cholesterol is through:

· Exercise.

· Vitamin D

· Niacin
Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with raising HDL cholesterol levels

Sources:

Framingham Heart Study conducted on healthy people since the 1950s. cholesterol misleading as only one of 240 factors in heart disease. Health Sciences Institute e-alert “Cholesterol Cowboys”, August 2nd , 2004, Jenny Thompson Dr. Al Sears Health Confidential for Men – “Ignore the hype focus on cholesterol that matters” April 4, 2004 Hyman, Mark M.D., Liponis, Mark M.D., Ultra-Prevention, The 6-Week Plan that will Make you healthy for life, New York, Scribner, 2003

Please feel free to use this article in your newsletter or on your website(with resource box included and use an active link).

This article may not be used in any e-mail promotions that do not conform with federal law.

If you use this article, please send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:leeman@lc-nutrition.com

About The Author

Lee Cummings has been helping people solve problems and feel better with proven nutrition for over 4 years. Lee publishes the montly LC Nutrition newsletter. For a No cost Report - mailto:report@lc-nutrition.com Discover proven nutrition information visit: http://www.LC-Nutrition.com
leeman@wi.rr.com

Ischemic And Hemorrhagic Stroke

by: Jonathon Hardcastle

Hopefully you never had to endure a situation of someone close to you to suffer from transient ischemic attach (TIA), also known as mini stoke, or from a stroke. In any case, you should be familiar with both kinds of stroke as they both destroy brain tissue and can produce similar long-term effects. But there are important differences in what causes them and in the symptoms that tell you which kind of stroke is happening.

Ischemic Stroke:
According to statistics, 80 percent of strokes belong to the ischemic stroke kind. These mini-strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked by plaque-clogged arteries or by blood clots. This means that blood is not circulating properly inside the brain causing brain cells to die if even for a few minutes no oxygen is transmitted to them via the blood.

Symptoms:
Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; difficulty speaking or understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; dizziness and a sudden loss of balance; falling in and out of consciousness; chest pain and shortness of breath. These last three symptoms are less-brain-centered and are more commonly experienced by women.

Hemorrhagic Stroke:
These brain hemorrhages happen when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue. There are various causes of these bursts. The most frequent is the rupture of an aneurysm, a weak spot on the wall of an artery that happens to be in your brain-aneurysms can occur elsewhere in the body, too. Experts point out that women are twice as likely as men to have an aneurysm in the brain and are more likely to have multiple aneurysms than men. Two other causes for bleeding in the brain are: hypertension, which can create enough pressure to break an artery wall, and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the brain. This is a snarl of defective blood vessels and capillaries whose thin walls are prone to rupture.

Symptoms:
A sudden violent headache, as if cracking a fault like through the brain's delicate architecture. The patient may also suffer from blurred vision or nausea. If you ever suspect you might be having a TIA or stroke or believe you are witnessing someone else having one, make sure 911 (or your local emergency unit) be called immediately. Tell the dispatcher that, if possible, you want to be transported to a hospital with a stroke center. Do not attempt to drive to the emergency room yourself. Stroke patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance are evaluated sooner by an ER physician, get the necessary testing and are admitted to the hospital or intensive-care unit more frequently than those who arrive by taxi or car. Most importantly, bring someone prepared to advocate for you or the patient. Be prepared by being informed and act fast!

About The Author : Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for http://ihealthstation.net/ - In addition, Jonathon also writes articles for http://theeducationstop.net/ and http://4alternativehealth.com/

Stroke Damage Treatment- Paralysis and Energy Healing

by: Brent Atwater

Suddenly you feel a portion of your body pause, loose sensation and stop functioning correctly. Your eyes may see double, your tongue might tingle, and your arm or leg may drag for few minutes. If these symptoms continue for a few minutes (15-20) you are having a stroke. Those are the symptoms of a TIA or Transient Ischemic Attack, known as a mini stroke. The sneaky part is that in both a TIA and a lesser stroke, the symptoms come and go for the lucky individual. If you can't produce an even smile on both sides of your face, remember the date, or have continued numbness on one side of your body, go to the hospital emergency room immediately. You have a 3-hour window to have an opportunity to reverse any major damage.

For those who exhibit and experience major impairment and who are unable to obtain immediate treatment, stroke damage may result in paralysis, nerve damage, and other dehabilitating symptoms. The good news is, usually in time, you can have some form of restored function in the areas of your body that were initially damaged.

Acupuncture has recently been providing significant restorative results by improving some physical functions for stroke victims. According to CBC News, "The functional electrical stimulation rowing machine, developed by researchers in Edmonton and England, helps people with disabilities (paraplegics and others) enjoy the benefits of regular exercise."

As a medical intuitive and distance energy healer, energy healing is another modality that provides electromagnetic stimulation and shows great promise in treating and curing stroke damage and regenerating damaged nerves. By using directed electromagnetic bio molecular energy healing, we can reframe bio structures, ie nerve impulse generators and their neural pathways that direct your body's physical functions to their initial blueprint of health. Neural pathways can be restructured so that those with paralysis can move their legs or arms. Numb extremities can be revived and regenerated to sensation.

In several clients with stroke complications, after their cellular and neural connections were restored and regenerated, physical therapy was used to restrengthen their muscles that had weakened due to lack of use during the early stages of their rehabilitation. To date, various stroke symptoms and complications can be lessened or reversed with energy healing.

Energy healing is cutting edge and is being clinically researched as a healing modality that shows great promise in assisting and restoring the physical health of those who have experienced a stroke.

Feel free to reprint this article in its original format. Contact Information:
Brent Atwater, Alternative Medical Specialist Medical Intuitive, Distance Energy Healing ATL, GA Phone: 404.242.9022 USA NC Phone: 910.692.5206 USA Website: http://www.brentatwater.com/ Email: mailto:Brent@BrentAtwater.com

Disclaimer: Brent Atwater is not a medical doctor or associated with any branch of medicine. Brent works in Alternative & Integrative Medicine. She offers her opinions based on her intuition, and her personal energy healing work, which is not a substitute for medical procedures or treatments. Always consult a physician or trained health care professional concerning any medical problem or condition before undertaking any diet, health related or lifestyle change programs. As in traditional medicine, there are no guarantees with medical intuition or energy work.

About The Author : Brent Atwater: Medical Intuitive, Energy Healing: As an alternative medical specialist (CAM), her international evidence based Medical Intuitive & Distance Energy Healing work is published and has been studied by & or documented at Duke, the ARE, & for animals by the NCSU's Vet school. She participates in research & Clinical trials. ARTIST: An artist 30+yrs, Brent is a pioneer in healing art by scientifically documenting Paintings that Heal™. Her art was featured on "PBS". At 16, NC Museum of Art chose her painting for the permanent collection. She founded Just Plain Love™ Charitable Trust to benefit children. AUTHOR: Just Plain Love™ Children's Healing Books. The books are translated into plays performed in children's healthcare facilities turning illness negatives into positives. "Cancer Kids, God's Special Children". "Positive Attitudes, Affirmations, & Actions for Overcoming Your Health Challenges", & "Positive Attitudes, Affirmations & Actions to Help Survive Your Cancer Experience". Brent attended Wake Forest Law School and is a minister.

Stroke Damage Treatment- Paralysis and Energy Healing

by: Brent Atwater

Suddenly you feel a portion of your body pause, loose sensation and stop functioning correctly. Your eyes may see double, your tongue might tingle, and your arm or leg may drag for few minutes. If these symptoms continue for a few minutes (15-20) you are having a stroke. Those are the symptoms of a TIA or Transient Ischemic Attack, known as a mini stroke. The sneaky part is that in both a TIA and a lesser stroke, the symptoms come and go for the lucky individual. If you can't produce an even smile on both sides of your face, remember the date, or have continued numbness on one side of your body, go to the hospital emergency room immediately. You have a 3-hour window to have an opportunity to reverse any major damage.

For those who exhibit and experience major impairment and who are unable to obtain immediate treatment, stroke damage may result in paralysis, nerve damage, and other dehabilitating symptoms. The good news is, usually in time, you can have some form of restored function in the areas of your body that were initially damaged.

Acupuncture has recently been providing significant restorative results by improving some physical functions for stroke victims. According to CBC News, "The functional electrical stimulation rowing machine, developed by researchers in Edmonton and England, helps people with disabilities (paraplegics and others) enjoy the benefits of regular exercise."

As a medical intuitive and distance energy healer, energy healing is another modality that provides electromagnetic stimulation and shows great promise in treating and curing stroke damage and regenerating damaged nerves. By using directed electromagnetic bio molecular energy healing, we can reframe bio structures, ie nerve impulse generators and their neural pathways that direct your body's physical functions to their initial blueprint of health. Neural pathways can be restructured so that those with paralysis can move their legs or arms. Numb extremities can be revived and regenerated to sensation.

In several clients with stroke complications, after their cellular and neural connections were restored and regenerated, physical therapy was used to restrengthen their muscles that had weakened due to lack of use during the early stages of their rehabilitation. To date, various stroke symptoms and complications can be lessened or reversed with energy healing.

Energy healing is cutting edge and is being clinically researched as a healing modality that shows great promise in assisting and restoring the physical health of those who have experienced a stroke.

Feel free to reprint this article in its original format. Contact Information:
Brent Atwater, Alternative Medical Specialist Medical Intuitive, Distance Energy Healing ATL, GA Phone: 404.242.9022 USA NC Phone: 910.692.5206 USA Website: http://www.brentatwater.com/ Email: mailto:Brent@BrentAtwater.com

Disclaimer: Brent Atwater is not a medical doctor or associated with any branch of medicine. Brent works in Alternative & Integrative Medicine. She offers her opinions based on her intuition, and her personal energy healing work, which is not a substitute for medical procedures or treatments. Always consult a physician or trained health care professional concerning any medical problem or condition before undertaking any diet, health related or lifestyle change programs. As in traditional medicine, there are no guarantees with medical intuition or energy work.

About The Author : Brent Atwater: Medical Intuitive, Energy Healing: As an alternative medical specialist (CAM), her international evidence based Medical Intuitive & Distance Energy Healing work is published and has been studied by & or documented at Duke, the ARE, & for animals by the NCSU's Vet school. She participates in research & Clinical trials. ARTIST: An artist 30+yrs, Brent is a pioneer in healing art by scientifically documenting Paintings that Heal™. Her art was featured on "PBS". At 16, NC Museum of Art chose her painting for the permanent collection. She founded Just Plain Love™ Charitable Trust to benefit children. AUTHOR: Just Plain Love™ Children's Healing Books. The books are translated into plays performed in children's healthcare facilities turning illness negatives into positives. "Cancer Kids, God's Special Children". "Positive Attitudes, Affirmations, & Actions for Overcoming Your Health Challenges", & "Positive Attitudes, Affirmations & Actions to Help Survive Your Cancer Experience". Brent attended Wake Forest Law School and is a minister.

Information on Lacunar Stroke

Author: Corwin Brown

Lacunar stroke occurs when one of the small arteries (diameter: 0.2 ? 15mm) that provides blood to the brain's deep structures is blocked and injures deeper structures underneath the cortex. It may be referred to as a Lacunar Infarct (LACI). A patient who presents with the clinical symptoms of a lacunar stroke, but who has not yet had diagnostic imaging performed may be described as suffering from Lacunar Stroke Syndrome (LACS).

A lacunar stroke is a blockage of blood flow to a part of the brain supplied by one or more small arteries. In a lacunar stroke, a blood clot (thrombus) blocks blood flow. Lacunar strokes , a subtype of ischemic stroke, have earned their name because the area rendered ischemic takes the form of a small lacune or cavity (usually less than 15mm in diameter).

Unlike most arteries that gradually taper to a smaller size, the arteries of a lacunar stroke branch directly off of a large, high pressure, heavily muscled main artery. A much larger infarct may actually produce a less extensive (or intrusive) neurologic deficit for the patient Lacunar strokes account for about 20 percent of all strokes in the United States.

A lacunar stroke is a blockage of blood flow to a part of the brain supplied by one or more small arteries. These arteries are 0.1 to 0.3 millimeters in diameter. They branch from larger arteries near the underside of the brain, and carry blood to the brain's deeper regions, such as the thalamus, basal ganglia and pons. In a lacunar stroke, a blood clot (thrombus) blocks blood flow.

The lacunar hypothesis proposes that (1) symptomatic lacunes present with distinctive lacunar syndromes and (2) a lacune is due to occlusion of a single deep penetrating artery generated by a specific vascular pathology. This concept is controversial because different definitions of lacunes have been used. Lacunes may be confused with other empty spaces, such as enlarged perivascular (Virchow-Robbins) spaces, in which the specific small vessel pathology occasionally is absent. Originally, lacunes were defined pathologically, but lacunes now are diagnosed on clinical and radiological grounds. This problem is compounded by the present inability to image a single penetrating artery.

A true lacunar stroke is just like any other stroke in that you would expect sudden onset of neurologic problems. Such problems typically include weakness or numbness on one side of the body, trouble producing language (either slurred speech or trouble producing what you want to say) or trouble with understanding language, and visual loss or double vision. Because lacunar strokes are smaller, patients with this type of stroke are more likely to recover to some extent when compared to patients who have large strokes, although the extent of recovery is not predictable. Age and severity of stroke are the biggest predictors of recovery--younger ages and smaller strokes do better.

Lacunar strokes tend to occur in patients with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking or chronic hypertension and may be clinically silent or present as pure motor hemiparesis, pure sensory loss, or a variety of well-defined syndromes (e.g., dysarthria-clumsy hand, ataxic-hemiparesis). Descending compact white matter tracts or brainstem gray matter nuclei are injured, often producing widespread and striking initial deficits. However, the prognosis for recovery with lacunar stroke is better than with large artery territory stroke, and for this reason many centers favor using antiplatelet therapy (aspirin, clopidogrel) or conservative management rather than thrombolytic therapy for uncomplicated lacunar stroke.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/information-on-lacunar-stroke-415827.html

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