More than 85% of strokes areischemic.
The lack of blood supply causes nearby brain cells to becomeseverely damaged.
A stroke is a medical emergency.
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It can cause death and profound disability.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability.
Read on to learn more about the risk factors, symptoms, and treatments for embolic stroke.
When Should You Suspect an Embolic Stroke?
Whether embolic or thrombotic, ischemic strokes generally share the same symptoms.
What Is the Main Cause of Embolic Stroke?
Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a leading cause of embolic strokes.
Pieces of these clots can travel to the brain.
AFib accounts for about 15% of ischemic strokes.
Sometimes treatment for an ischemic stroke is aimed at clearing the blockage.
In select cases, this includes the use of intravenous (IV)tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA.
This drug is most effective if given within three hours after symptoms start.
Your healthcare provider may recommend surgery to remove the blockage.
This procedure, called athrombectomy, involves inserting a catheter into the artery to clear it.
Once you’re stable, you may need additional tests, such as anelectrocardiogram,echocardiogram, or angiogram.
Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce your risk of a major stroke.
TIA should be considered a medical emergency and followed up immediately with a healthcare professional.
Prognosis
Strokes can be fatal or have devastating long-term consequences if not treated quickly.
Because brain cells begin to die soon after blood flow is interrupted, time is critical.
If a person survives abasilar artery stroke, these functions could be impaired or lost.
Diagnosis is made through physical and neurological examination augmented by imaging tests (e.g., CT, MRI).
Treatment typically consists of IV drug administration or surgical intervention.
Risk factors include age, race, and a previous history of stroke or heart attack.
Rehabilitation plays an important role in stroke recovery.
The key to surviving an embolic stroke is prompt treatment.
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