ReeCure

Causes

A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain is interrupted because a blood vessel in the brain is blocked or bursts open.

If blood flow is stopped for longer than a few seconds, the brain cannot get blood and oxygen. Brain cells can die, causing permanent damage.

There are two major types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.

ISCHEMIC STROKE

Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot.

This may happen in two ways:

• A clot may form in an artery that is already very narrow. This is called a thrombus. If it completely blocks the artery, it is called a thrombotic stroke.
• A clot may break off from somewhere in the body and travel up to the brain to block a smaller artery. This is called an embolism. It causes an embolic stroke.

Ischemic strokes may result from clogged arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. (See: Stroke secondary to atherosclerosis.) This may affect the arteries within the brain or the arteries in the neck that carry blood to the brain. Fat, cholesterol, and other substances collect on the wall of the arteries, forming a sticky substance called plaque. Over time, the plaque builds up. This often makes it hard for blood to flow properly, which can cause the blood to clot.

Ischemic strokes may also be caused by blood clots that form in the heart. These clots travel through the blood and can get stuck in the small arteries of the brain. This is known as a cerebral embolism.

Certain drugs and medical conditions can make your blood more likely to clot and raise your risk for ischemic stroke. A common cause of ischemic stroke in people under age 40 is carotid dissection, or a tear in the lining of the carotid artery. The tear lets blood flow between the layers of the carotid artery. This causes narrowing of the carotid artery that is not due to plaque buildup.

HEMORRHAGIC STROKE

Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in part of the brain becomes weak and bursts open, causing blood to leak into the brain. Some people have defects in the blood vessels of the brain that make this more likely. The flow of blood that occurs after the blood vessel ruptures damages brain cells.

STROKE RISKS

High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for strokes.

The following also increase your risk for stroke:

• Diabetes
• Family history of stroke
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Increasing age

Certain medications make blood clots more likely, and therefore your chances for a stroke. Birth control pills can increase the chances blood clots, especially in woman who smoke and who are older than 35.

Men have more strokes than women. But, women have a risk of stroke during pregnancy and the weeks immediately after pregnancy.

The following can increase the risk of bleeding into the brain, which makes you more likely to have a stroke:

• Alcohol use
• Bleeding disorders
• Cocaine use
• Head injury

For more information see: Stroke risk factors and prevention.

Symptoms

The symptoms of stroke depend on what part of the brain is damaged. In some cases, a person may not even be aware that he or she has had a stroke.

Symptoms usually develop suddenly and without warning, or they may occur on and off for the first day or two. Symptoms are usually most severe when the stroke first happens, but they may slowly get worse.

A headache may occur, especially if the stroke is caused by bleeding in the brain. The headache:

• Starts suddenly and may be severe
• Occurs when lying flat
• Wakes you up from sleep
• Gets worse when you change positions or when you bend, strain, or cough

Other symptoms depend on the severity of the stroke and what part of the brain is affected.

Symptoms may include:

• Muscle weakness in the face, arm, or leg (usually just one side)
• Numbness or tingling on one side of the body
• Trouble speaking or understanding others who are speaking
• Problems with eyesight, including decreased vision, double vision, or total loss of vision
• Sensation changes that affect touch and the ability to feel pain, pressure, different temperatures, or other stimuli
• Changes in hearing
• Change in alertness (including sleepiness, unconsciousness, and coma)
• Personality, mood, or emotional changes
• Confusion or loss of memory
• Difficulty swallowing
• Changes in taste
• Difficulty writing or reading
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of balance
• Clumsiness
• Trouble walking
• Dizziness or abnormal sensation of movement (vertigo)
• Lack of control over the bladder or bowels

• Check for problems with vision, movement, sensation, reflexes, understanding, and speaking. Your doctor and nurses will repeat this exam over time to see if your stroke is getting worse or is improving.
• Listen for an abnormal sound, called a "bruit," when using a stethoscope to listen to the carotid arteries in the neck. A bruit is caused by turbulent blood flow.
• Check and assess your blood pressure, which may be high.

Tests can help your doctor determine the type, location, and cause of the stroke and to rule out other disorders that may be responsible for the symptoms.

• A CT scan of the brain is often done soon after symptoms of a stroke begin. An MRI scan of the brain may be done instead or afterwards.
• Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or CT angiography may be done to check for abnormal blood vessels in the brain that may have caused the stroke.
• Echocardiogram may be done if the stroke could have been caused by a blood clot from the heart.
• Carotid duplex (a type of ultrasound exam) can show if narrowing of the neck arteries (carotid stenosis) led to the stroke.
• An angiogram of the head can reveal which blood vessel is blocked or bleeding, and help your doctor decide if the artery can be reopened using a thin tube.
• Laboratory tests will include a complete blood count (CBC), bleeding time, and blood clotting tests (prothrombin time or partial thromboplastin time).
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rhythm monitoring can help determine if an irregular heart beat (such as atrial fibrillation) caused the stroke.
• A spinal tap (cerebrospinal fluid exam) may also be done.

Treatment depends on the severity and cause of the stroke. A hospital stay is required for most strokes.

TREATMENT IN THE HOSPITAL

Clot-busting drugs (thrombolytic therapy) may be used if the stroke is caused by a blood clot. Such medicine breaks up blood clots and helps restore blood flow to the damaged area.

However, not everyone can receive this type of medicine.

• For these drugs to work, a person must be seen and treatment must begin within 3 hours of when the symptoms first started. A CT scan must be done to see whether the stroke is from a clot or from bleeding.
• If the stroke is caused by bleeding rather than clotting, clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics) can cause more bleeding.

Other treatments depend on the cause of the stroke:

• Blood thinners such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin) are used to treat strokes due to blood clots. Aspirin of clopidogrel (Plavix) may also be used.
• Other medications may be needed to control other symptoms, including high blood pressure. Painkillers may be given to control severe headache.
• In some situations, a special stroke team and skilled radiologists may be able to use angiography to highlight the clogged blood vessel and open it up.
• For hemorrhagic stroke, surgery is often required to remove blood from around the brain and to repair damaged blood vessels.
• Surgery on the carotid artery may be needed. See also Carotid artery disease and Carotid artery surgery.

Nutrients and fluids may be necessary, especially if the person has swallowing difficulties. These may be given through a vein (intravenously) or a feeding tube in the stomach (gastrostomy tube). Swallowing difficulties may be temporary or permanent.

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and swallowing therapy will all begin in the hospital.

LONG-TERM TREATMENT

The goal of long-term treatment is to help the patient recover as much function as possible and prevent future strokes. The recovery time and need for long-term treatment differs from person to person.

Depending on the symptoms, rehabilitation may include:

• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Speech therapy

Therapies such as repositioning and range-of-motion exercises can help prevent complications related to stroke, such as infection and bed sores. Those who have had a stroke should try to remain as active as physically possible.

We, at ReeCure offer you therapy using stem cells using our proprietary technology.

These stem cells could be of various types viz. Hematopoietic (CD 34+), Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are processed and isolated using Good Manufacturing (GMP) and Good Lab Practices (GLP) and in accordance with AABB standards.

After years of extensive research and systematic compilation and collation of relevant data (through its research division), ReeLabs is now supremely confident of not only reversing the disease process of the affected patient but also improving the quality of life manifold. Stem cells produced by ReeLabs are completely safe, non-toxic, easy to administer and totally devoid of side effects with an excellent probability of homing and engraftment with parent cell, tissue or organ. The eminent panel of scientists, and researchers at ReeLabs work exhaustively to design accurate treatment protocols that have yielded excellent results in most cases.

These stem cells are procured from various sources including bone marrow, cord blood; fat etc. as per the requirement of the patient.

Stem cell therapy has been employed in patients with stroke with good results.

Stem cell therapy helps patients which have received comprehensive rehabilitative therapy, and were showing no signs of results.

Stem cell therapy is helpful in patients with significant residual hemiparesis or hemiplegia.