Understanding Your Stroke:
A Guide for Patients and Families
What Happens During Stroke
Stroke, also called cerebral vascular accident, or CVA, occurs when
blood supply to a region of the brain is interrupted. A stroke occurs
when a clot blocks an artery, cutting off oxygen to the brain. These
clots are called thrombus or embolism. Brain tissue deprived of oxygen
dies within a few minutes. As a result, the part of the body controlled
by those brain cells does not work properly. A stroke can affect the
senses, speech, behavior and even memory. Strokes may also occur from a
hemorrhage, a small leak from an artery directly into the brain tissue.
The blood clot presses on the surrounding tissue, resulting in increased
blood pressure in the brain. The doctors and nurses will sometimes call
this hemorrhage "a bleed." The result is brain injury.
Signs of a Stroke
A stroke's warning signs may come on suddenly or they may develop
over hours or days. If you experience any of the following symptoms,
even briefly, notify your nurse or doctor immediately.
- weakness in one side of the body
- numbness in the face, arms or legs
- loss of vision.
- slow speech or trouble talking or understanding speech.
- severe headache
- dizziness, unsteadiness or falls
This guide was developed by Rhode Island Hospital
neuroscience nurse Beverly Burgess, RN. Information in this section is
provided by the hospital's neuroscience
nursing staff.
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