Definition of stroke
Stroke is the lack of oxygen-rich blood needed for the cells and nutrients needed by the cells to the brain, leading to the rapid death of these cells within a few minutes, thus disrupting the functions responsible for these cells in the body. Stroke does not occur suddenly, but may extend its beginnings for years where the blood flow to brain cells through the arteries because of its narrowness for multiple reasons and thus over the years the narrowing of these arteries and thus gradually reduce the flow of blood to brain cells and starts to damage the brain.
Causes of stroke
- The main cause of stroke, as we mentioned earlier, is the lack of blood to the brain cells, but there are reasons to prevent the arrival of blood to these cells are:
- Age, where the older the person is, the more likely he is to have a stroke than others who are younger.
- Excess weight, as the increase in body fat works its accumulation on the wall of the arteries from the inside and thus reduce the blood flow through the arteries.
- Blood clotting, clotting is a blood-clotting phrase in the arteries in the form of lumps, thus reducing blood supply to brain cells.
- Increase the proportion of harmful cholesterol in the blood, where the accumulation of cholesterol in the internal walls of the arteries to reduce the flow of blood to the brain.
- Smoking is caused by the lack of oxygen to the brain cells, as mentioned earlier, and because the carbon dioxide produced by smoking replaces oxygen in the blood and thus the lack of oxygen to the brain cells, and the nicotine act to increase heart rate and high blood pressure , Which leads to the formation of blocks of blood within the arteries and thus reduce the proportion of blood that reaches the brain cells.
- Some diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease.
- Drink sugary drinks and drug abuse.
- Contraceptive pills that alter hormone levels in the blood.
- Genetic factors, studies have shown that the incidence of stroke is frequent in families with a history of stroke.
- Stroke injury collects blood in the arteries in the form of lumps, and thus lack of blood access to the brain cells.
- Bleeding occurs within the brain leading to leakage of blood from the artery to the outside and thus lack of blood to the cells that fall after the bleeding and this causes stroke.
- Acute high blood pressure for some reason such as during birth.