Hemorrhagic stroke: causes, symptoms, treatment, consequences, prognosis, recovery

Hundreds of people die from hemorrhagic strokes every year. This is a fairly common disorder that occurs not only in the elderly. Recently, the disease is increasingly affecting citizens who have barely crossed the thirty-year mark. The consequences of a brain stroke are severe health problems. Often they lead to deep disability of the patient, and in especially severe cases - to death.

What is this disease

A hemorrhagic, or hemorrhoidal stroke, is a process of cerebrovascular accident that occurs in acute form and is accompanied by rupture of blood vessels and hemorrhage, which entails extensive edema.

The disease goes through several stages. First, the permeability of the vein or artery, which is responsible for supplying the brain with blood, increases. Then there is a gap due to which fluid enters the cranial cavity and a hematoma develops.

As a result of the violation, the nerve centers are compressed and displaced, and edema also occurs.

Not only brain matter, but the whole organism suffers from this. Non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage leads to a serious disorder in the work of various organs and systems.

Classification of hemorrhagic strokes

Hemorrhoidal hemorrhages are classified depending on the place of their formation.

Lesions may be:

• intracerebral, with the formation of a hematoma in nerve tissues;
• subarachnoid, proceeding against the background of damage to blood vessels in the arachnoid membrane;
• ventricular, when blood accumulates in the cerebral ventricles;
• combined, with a combination of signs of the previous types.

It is possible to diagnose the type of violation with a visual examination of the patient, since each variety has its own symptomatology.

Causes of development and risk factors

The main cause of acute circulatory disorders in the brain tissues is the low strength and elasticity of blood vessels.

This occurs under the influence of such predisposing factors:

• hypertension with frequent crises and drops in blood pressure;
• decreased blood coagulation due to various diseases;
• inflammation accompanied by vascular degeneration;
• spasms of large arteries;
• hemostatic disorders;
• atherosclerosis;
• alcoholism;
• addiction, especially related to the introduction of drugs intravenously.

On a note. Sometimes strokes affect people leading a healthy lifestyle and not suffering from any diseases. This occurs due to congenital or acquired abnormalities that cause pathological changes in the vessels and brain.

Symptoms and signs of hemorrhagic stroke

About a third of strokes occur at night, while the rest happens during the day when a person is active. The development of the acute process is preceded by symptoms that can occur both immediately before the attack, and several days before its onset.

These include the following manifestations:

• paroxysmal or persistent pain in the head;
• severe weakness;
• dizziness;
• numbness of the muscles on the right or left side of the body;
• skin sensitivity disorder;
• Flushing and redness of the face;
• intolerance of bright lighting and loud sounds;
• visual impairment and “flies” before the eyes;
• vomiting and nausea.

When the violation "is gaining momentum," the symptoms intensify, and such signs appear:

• the victim breathes often and noisily or breathing is weakened;
• limbs involuntarily twitch, cramps occur;
• muscle tone and reflexes decrease in the part of the body opposite to the localization of hemorrhage;
• increased tension in the muscles of the neck, making head movements more difficult;
• the face on the left or right side is distorted, depending on the location of the lesion;
• eyeballs move randomly and turn to the side where the damage occurred;
• the patient is in a state of drowsiness or lethargy, and in especially severe cases, a coma develops.

Attention! The consequences of a stroke and the chances of recovery and preservation of life directly depend on how quickly assistance was provided. The count goes for minutes, and when the first signs of a brain disaster are detected, it is necessary to deliver the victim to the hospital.

Diagnosis of the disease

To make a diagnosis and determine the type of violation, the following measures are taken:

• computed tomography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• cerebral angiography;
• electrocardiography;
• lumbar puncture.

Based on the information received, emergency treatment is prescribed, which is carried out under intensive care.

Hemorrhagic stroke of the brain: treatment

The main goal of the treatment of hemorrhagic disorders is to reduce negative manifestations, neutralize edema and prevent severe disorders. Treatment is carried out with conservative or surgical methods.

Modern techniques and drugs

As part of conservative treatment, drugs are used whose action is aimed at achieving the following effects:

1. Normalization of blood pressure. Such medicines as Dibazol, Klofelin or Enap are used at elevated rates, and Prednisolone or Mesaton at lower rates.
2. Stop bleeding.In such cases, "Vikasol" and aminocaproic acid are recommended.
3. Restore blood circulation. “Cytoflavin” and “Reosorbilact” are administered intravenously.
4. Elimination of edema. Recommended "Manit", "Furosemide" and "Dexamethasone."
5. Maintaining cell nutrition. Effective Actovegin, Cavinton and Piracetam.

If the patient breathes normally, he is injected with an oxygen mixture through a mask, and if there are obvious violations, an artificial ventilation device is connected.

Surgical intervention

In brain disasters, surgical treatment can also be performed.

Intervention is of three types:

• Drainage. In this case, to ensure the outflow of blood and reduce intracranial pressure, tubular drainages are installed in the ventricles of the brain.
• Trepanation. With this intervention, a fragment of the cranial bone in the hemorrhage is removed to remove accumulated fluid, reduce pressure and eliminate edema.
• Puncture. By means of a special apparatus, the skull is punctured in the violation zone, and blood is drawn through this hole.

Regardless of whether a conservative or surgical type of treatment was chosen, the patient will need to undergo a course of antibacterial therapy to prevent pneumonia and other respiratory complications.

Recovery from hemorrhagic stroke

Recovery from hemorrhagic stroke is a complex process that requires an integrated approach.

As part of drug rehabilitation, drugs are prescribed that allow you to achieve the following results:

• improve blood supply to the brain (Piracetam, Noopept, and Phenotropil);
• normalize metabolic processes in damaged tissues ("Encephabol");
• restore metabolism (“Cytoflavin”, “Choline”, “Actovegin”).

To reduce muscle tone and restore motor functions, the following procedures are prescribed:

• orthosis therapy;
• physiotherapy exercises;
• massages;
• magnetotherapy;
• electrophoresis;
• taking homeopathic remedies and vitamins.

In the recovery process, proper nutrition is important.

The diet of the patient is, adhering to the following principles:

• daily calorie intake of not more than 2500 kcal;
• fractional, 5-6 times a day, meals in small portions;
• the use of foods containing plant fiber;
• inclusion in the menu of cereals, which include complex carbohydrates;
• the presence in the diet of fermented milk products.

Do not give a patient who has had a stroke, heavy fatty foods, legumes, and rich pastries.

Forecasts and consequences of the disease

With hemorrhoidal strokes, making a prognosis is very difficult, because it depends on many factors. These include the age and individual characteristics of the patient, concomitant diseases, the localization of a brain accident and the severity of damage. If in patients who have suffered a violation in a relatively mild form, the chances of survival remain, then a person who has fallen into a coma is doomed in 95% of cases.

Almost always a stroke entails consequences, the most common of which are:

• paralysis and paresis in the limbs;
• disorder of motor, swallowing and speech functions;
• impaired memory and intelligence;
• loss of basic self-care skills;
• behavioral changes;
• increased emotional sensitivity;
• convulsive attacks;
• pain that does not disappear after taking analgesics;
• the risk of developing the disorder repeatedly.

The answer to the question how long a person who has suffered a brain disaster can live is strictly individual for each case. It depends on the timeliness and adequacy of treatment, the quality of rehabilitation procedures, as well as on care during the recovery period.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of developing a violation primarily or repeatedly, you must follow these recommendations:

1. Eat right and balanced.
2. To refuse from bad habits.
3. Practice moderate physical activity.
4. Avoid stress.
5. Control body weight.
6. Timely adjust the level of glucose and "bad" cholesterol in the blood.
7. In time to treat vascular diseases, especially hypertension.
8. In the presence of conditions that can cause acute cerebral impairment, proceed with treatment immediately after they are detected.

According to experts, most strokes could have been prevented.

This acute violation does not occur “from scratch”, as a rule, chronic diseases are the cause of it, and the impending catastrophe makes itself felt through various symptoms. For this reason, you should not ignore the alarming manifestations and treat the diseases in time, which can lead to such sad consequences.