Stroke

Cerebrovascular Accident, Stroke
Most common locations are in anterior branches of Circle of Willis Thrown from carotids or fibrillations of left atrium or ventricle. Risks include blood clotting abnormalities, Heart disease, Oral Contraceptives (OCs).

Stats on Stroke
-CVA is the leading cause of adult disability in the world. -Worldwide, one-quarter of all strokes are fatal. -Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability. -It is estimated that four of every five families in the United States will be affected by stroke in their lifetime. -More than half a million people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke each year. -Stroke kills about 150,000 Americans each year, or almost one out of three stroke victims. -Three million Americans are currently permanently disabled from stroke.

-In the United States, stroke costs about $43 billion per year in direct costs and loss of productivity. -Two-thirds of strokes occur in people over the age of 65. -Strokes affect men more often than women, although women are more likely to die from a stroke. -Strokes affect African Americans more often than Caucasians, and are more likely to be fatal among African Americans. -The incidence of strokes among people ages 30 to 60 is less than 1%. This figure triples by the age of 80. -The rate of occurrence for strokes in the United States fell by 15.52% between 1988 and 1998. But the number of deaths from stroke actually rose by 5%.

Ischemic Stroke[[image:ischemic_stroke_1.jpg width="215" height="241" align="right"]]
-80% of CVAs -Usually at the site of an atherosclerotic plaque. -Associated with Hypertension. -Same risk factors. -Same pathophysiology as CVDz.

A, Section of the brain showing a large, discolored, focally hemorrhagic region in the left middle cerebral artery distribution (hemorrhagic, or red, infarction). B, An infarct with punctate hemorrhages, consistent with ischemia-reperfusion injury, is present in the temporal lobe. C, Old cystic infarct shows destruction of cortex and surrounding gliosis.

Cerebral hemorrhage. Massive hypertensive hemorrhage rupturing into a lateral ventricle.

Aneurysm sites
Incidence: 1 in 15 Americans will develop one in their lifetime. 0.2 - 3% of these will suffer a hemorrhagic CVA. Treatment: mb none, mb craniotomy with clipping, mb in situ platinum wire embolization. Recurrence rate ~30%. Survival depends on extent and location of aneurysm and patient’s age.

Traumatic hemorrhage
Traumatic intracranial hemorrhages. A, Epidural hematoma (left) in which rupture of a meningeal artery, usually associated with a skull fracture, leads to accumulation of arterial blood between the dura and the skull. In a subdural hematoma (right), damage to bridging veins between the brain and the superior sagittal sinus leads to the accumulation of blood between the dura and the arachnoid. B, Epidural hematoma covering a portion of the dura. C, Large organizing subdural hematoma attached to the dura. (B, Courtesy of Dr. Raymond D. Adams, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.)

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============================================================================ =Potential Contributing Factors= Potassium Deficiency

Phytotherapeutic Recommendations
-Vinca Minor (Periwinkle)

Acupuncture Research
Jin 3 needle technique demonstrated a superior effect to standard acupuncture protocol 85.4% effectiveness vs. 70.0%. Three needle therapy were treated w/ three acupoints of tempora, hand and foot. (Zhonguo Zhenjiu vol. 29, No.9, sept.2009)