Key Words
aphasia, brain attack, clot-buster, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, mini-stroke, stroke, TIA, tissue plasminogen activator, transient ischemic attack, tPA

Glossary
Aphasia: The loss of language due to stroke, brain injury or a neurological condition

Transient ischemic attack (TIA): A mini-stroke caused by the temporary blockage of an artery in the brain

Stroke is a brain attack; it's often called "the silent killer" because one can suffer one or multiple strokes and be unaware that strokes have occurred.

A stroke occurs when a blood clot, ruptured artery or broken blood vessel interrupts the blood flow to the brain. Unless the blood flow is restored quickly, the brain cells close to the clot or broken blood vessel become damaged and die. Depending on which part of the brain is damaged, the stroke survivor will have temporary or permanent problems with sensation, mobility, language, speech, behaviour, thought and memory. Brain damage from a stroke may also cause mood swings, behaviour and personality changes, and dementia. For every five people with stroke, one will make a full recovery, three will have permanent neurological disabilities, the fifth will die.

Please see Answers to commonly asked questions about stroke.

Things You Should Know

Stroke:

• is the leading cause of neurological disability in adults
• is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada
• can occur at any age — one-third of all people who get stroke are under 65
• can occur on either side of the brain. If it occurs on the left side of the brain, the right side of the body will be affected and vice versa.

• Ischemic stroke
  occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain.
• Hemorrhagic stroke
  occurs when a ruptured blood vessel causes bleeding in the brain.
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini-stroke
  is caused by a temporary blockage in an artery in the brain.

Treatments for stroke

Drug treatments

• Clot-buster drugs
  tPA — tissue plasminogen activator (must be administered within 3 hours of stroke onset)

• Anti-coagulants (blood thinners)
  ASA — aspirin
  Warfarin

• Antiarrhythmic drugs
  Treats atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat which is a risk factor for stroke.

Surgery

• Carotid endarterectomy
  To remove blockages in the neck's carotid artery which delivers blood to one side of the brain.

• Angioplasty
  Inserting a small, inflated balloon into a narrow artery to open it.

• Stent
  A steel screen that is implanted into an artery to hold it open after an angioplasty balloon has been removed.

• Clipping or tying off an aneurysm
  To prevent the aneurysm (a ballooning-out of the wall of an artery) from bursting inside the brain and causing a stroke.

Lifestyle adjustments

• quit smoking
• cut down the amount of fat in the diet
• increase physical activity
• monitor and treat risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and elevated blood cholesterol

Rehabilitation

Rehab is most effective if begun within 24 hours of the stroke and can consist of any or all of the following:

• physiotherapy
• occupational therapy
• speech and language therapy
• recreational therapy
• psychotherapy