Left-side Stroke
(Stroke, Left-side; Left Hemisphere Stroke; Stroke, Left Hemisphere)
Definition
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Causes
- Ischemic
- Hemorrhagic
- A clot that forms in another part of the body (eg, heart or neck) breaking off and blocking the flow in a blood vessel supplying the brain (embolus).
- A clot that forms in an artery that supplies blood to the brain (thrombus)
- A tear in a blood vessel supplying a part of the brain (arterial dissection)
| Hemorrhagic vs. Ischemic Stroke |
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| Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Risk Factors
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Certain conditions, like:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- High levels of the amino acid homocysteine (may lead to blood clots)
- Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries due to build-up of plaque)
- Atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm)
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome
- Type 2 diabetes
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Medicines (eg, long-term use of birth control pills )
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Lifestyle factors
- Smoking
- Physical inactivity
- Diet high in sodium and processed foods
- History of stroke , heart attack , or other type of cardiovascular disease
- History of transient ischemic attack (TIA)—With a TIA, stroke symptoms often resolve within minutes (and always within 24 hours). They may signal a very high risk of having a stroke in the future.
- Age: 60 or older
- Family members who have had a stroke
- Gender: males
- Race: Black, Asian, Hispanic
- Blood disorder that increases clotting
- Heart valve disease (eg, mitral stenosis )
Symptoms
- Weakness or numbness of face, arm, or leg, especially on the right side of the body
- Confusion
- Trouble speaking or understanding ( aphasia )
- Dizziness, loss of balance
- Vision problems (on the right side of vision in both eyes)
- Difficulty swallowing
- Headache
- Movement on the right-side of the body
- Speaking, understanding language, reading, and writing
- Organizing, analyzing, reasoning, planning
- Memory and learning
- Completing tasks (difficulty doing activities, difficulty planning)
- Short attention span
- Vision (difficulty seeing out of the right field of vision)
- Mental health (eg, depression , cautiousness, compulsive behavior, lack of motivation, frustration)
Diagnosis
- Exam of nervous system
- Computed tomography (CT) scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of the brain
- CT angiogram—a type of CT scan that evaluates the blood vessels in the brain and/or neck
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of the brain
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) —a type of MRI scan that evaluates the blood vessels in the brain and/or neck
- Angiogram —a test that uses a catheter (tube) and x-ray machine to assess the heart and its blood supply
- Heart function tests (eg, electrocardiogram , echocardiogram )
- Doppler ultrasound —a test that uses sound waves to examine blood vessels
- Blood tests
- Tests to check the level of oxygen in the blood
- Kidney and liver function tests
- Tests to evaluate the ability to swallow
Treatment
- Dissolve or remove a clot causing an ischemic stroke
- Stop the bleeding during a hemorrhagic stroke
Medications
- Dissolve clots and prevent new ones from forming
- Thin blood
- Control blood pressure
- Reduce brain swelling
- Treat an irregular heart rate
- Work against any blood-thinning drugs that you may regularly take
- Reduce how your brain reacts to bleeding
- Control blood pressure
- Prevent seizures
Surgery
- Reroute blood supply around a blocked artery
- Remove the clot or deliver clot-dissolving medicine
- Remove fatty deposits from a carotid artery (major arteries in the neck that lead to the brain)
- Widen carotid artery and add a mesh tube to keep it open (eg, carotid angioplasty or stenting )
- Remove a piece of the skull to relieve pressure on the brain and remove the blood clot
- Place a clip or tiny coil in the aneurysm to stop it from bleeding
Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy—to regain as much movement as possible
- Occupational therapy—to assist in everyday tasks and self-care
- Speech therapy—to improve swallowing and speech challenges
- Psychological therapy—to help adjust to life after the stroke
Prevention
- Exercise regularly .
- Eat a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Drink alcohol only in moderation (1-2 drinks per day).
- If you smoke, quit .
- If you have a chronic condition, like high blood pressure or diabetes, get proper treatment.
- If recommended by your doctor, take a low-dose aspirin every day.
- If you are at risk for having a stroke, talk to your doctor about statin medicines.
RESOURCES
American Heart Association http://www.americanheart.org/
National Stroke Association http://www.stroke.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada http://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/splash/
Stroke Survivors Association of Ottawa http://www.strokesurvivors.ca/
References
Am I at risk for a stroke? National Stroke Association website. Available at: http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=risk . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Anatomy of the brain. The University Hospital website. Available at: http://www.theuniversityhospital.com/stroke/anatomy.htm . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Effects of left middle cerebral artery stroke. Ohio State University Medical Center website. Available at: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/PatientEd/Materials/PDFDocs/dis-cond/stroke/LeftMidCerebralArteryStroke.pdf . Accessed April 15, 2011.
Effects of stroke. Magee Rehabilitation website. Available at: http://www.mageerehab.org/effects-of-stroke.php . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Effects of stroke. National Stroke Association website. Available at: http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=EFFECT . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Effects of stroke. Ohio State University Medical Center website. Available at: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare%5Fservices/stroke/effects/Pages/index.aspx . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Effects of stroke. Rush University Medical Center website. Available at: http://www.rush.edu/rumc/page-1098987413801.html . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Prevention of stroke: recommendations. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/ . Updated April 7, 2011. Accessed April 22, 2011.
Stroke (acute management): treatment overview. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/ . Updated April 11, 2011. Accessed April 22, 2011.
Stroke and the brain. Cleveland Clinic website. Available at: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/stroke/hic%5Fstroke%5Fand%5Fthe%5Fbrain.aspx . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Stroke: causes. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stroke/DS00150/DSECTION=causes . Updated July 1, 2010. Accessed April 22, 2011.
Stroke center. University of Chicago Medicine website. Available at: http://www.uchospitals.edu/specialties/neurology/stroke/ . Accessed April 19, 2012.
Stroke effects. American Hear Association website. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4761 . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Stroke facts. St. John’s Hospital website. Available at: http://www.st-johns.org/services/stroke%5Fcenter/stroke%5Ffacts.aspx . Accessed April 22, 2011.
Stroke: treatments and drugs. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stroke/DS00150/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs . Accessed July 1, 2010. Accessed April 22, 2011.
Types of stroke. NYU Medical Center website. Available at: http://www.med.nyu.edu/strokecenter/aboutstroke/types/ . Updated November 15, 2010. Accessed April 22, 2011.
Wood D. Stroke. EBSCO Health Library website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/healthLibrary/ . Updated March 28, 2011. Accessed April 22, 2011.