Stroke. Cerebrovascular accidents also known as strokes, occurs when blood supply of an artery stop getting to the brain. It is one of the leading causes of death throughout the world.

        There are indications that you or someone else could be having a stroke. Symptoms include: trouble with walking, speaking, seeing, paralysis or numbness on one side of the body, or sudden headaches. While having a stroke you may stumble or be dizzy, losing balance, or losing coordination. You might not even be able to say hi or come up with simple words. Anything can happen while having a stroke, there is going to be difficulties whether it’s physically or mentally. One minute you could be playing basketball and next thing you know, you are laying on the ground and you can’t move. Sometimes a stroke might not give any warnings because it can be a temporary interruption of blood flow that may last a few minutes or a few hours without leaving any damaging effects. These temporary strokes are known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Strokes can pop up at any moment when you least expect it. On a daily basis, stroke affect people because it can cause them to be disabled in some areas. People can have a stroke and never be able to walk, talk, hear, taste, or feel anything else for the rest of their lives. One day you could be on a normal routine going to work, and the next day you might not be able to remember anything that happened in the last 10 years. Strokes can cause many people to have abnormal lives forever.  (MayoClinic)

        Treatments are available for strokes as long as that person can be transported to a hospital. Surgery, medications, hospital care and rehabilitation are all accepted stroke treatments. Doctors can surgically unclog clots in the artery. (AmericanHeartAssociation) If the stroke was not too severe, medications can be given to help prevent future strokes. For certain drugs to be used properly, it must be used within a few hours that the patient had their stroke. “Thrombolytic (fibrinolytic) drugs help reestablish blood flow to the brain by dissolving  the clots, which are blocking the flow.  In June, 1996, the “clot-buster” Activase® (Alteplase recombinant) became the first acute ischemic stroke treatment to be approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  To be effective, thrombolytic therapy should be given as quickly as possible.” (NationalStroke Association)

        Many people would probably think that a stroke would only affect your nervous because that is the location of your brain. Your brain is a unique organ that regulates about everything that goes on in and out of your body. Since your brain is the control of your body, if it is damaged in some way, then somewhere around your body will also be damaged. The skeletal and muscular system can be affected because you might not be able to move certain parts of your body. It can also disrupt the respiratory and cardiovascular system which can lead to death. People might have trouble breathing or their heart won’t pump blood throughout the body anymore. Any system of the body can be damaged depending on what section of the brain is damaged.

        Some interesting facts that I found out was strokes are more common in the southeastern part of the United States. These are the so-called "stroke belt" states. There's some evidence that strokes are more common among low-income people than among more affluent people. I think the low-income people are more common to get a stroke than the rich because they can’t always afford a healthy nutritious meal.

        The reason why I chose this topic is because my uncle had a stroke about a year ago. He is suffering from memory loss and the lack of comprehending. When you ask him a question about anything, he will respond in a very unusual way. He will randomly say something about another topic and you won’t know what he is talking about. I wanted to learn more about this topic because it happened in my family and I want to know more about it.

Work Cited

“Definition of Cerebrovascular accident” MedicineNet. 26 March, 1998. Web. 17 Dec, 2009 < http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2676>

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Symptoms.” Mayo Clinic.  3 July, 2008. Web. 17 Dec, 2009               < http://www.virtualsalt.com/mla.htm>

“Stroke” MedicineNet. 17 Dec, 2009. < http://www.medicinenet.com/stroke/article.htm>

“Stroke Risk Factors.” American Heart Associations. 17 Dec, 2009.                                          < http://strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4716>

“Stroke Treatment.” American Heart Associations. 17 Dec, 2009.

< http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4724>

“Stroke Treatment.” National Stroke Associations. 17 Dec, 2009

< http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=treatment>