Case Study on Stroke

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Case Study on Stroke Name: Institution: Case Study on Stroke Introduction Stroke, otherwise known as cerebrovascular accident, refers to a group of health conditions that occur as neurologic deficits caused by an abrupt interruption of cerebral blood flow. Put differently, a stroke results from a sudden decrease in the blood flow to the brain. An acute stroke is a term used in describing the initial twenty-four hours following a stroke event. Ischemic strokes, which results from embolisms or thrombosis, constitutes the vast majority of stroke cases (87 percent) while the remaining thirteen percent are hemorrhagic (resulting from aneurysm or the rupture of a blood vessel) (Yew & Cheng, 2009, p. 33). An ischemic stroke is usually characterized by a reduction or obstruction of blood supply to the brain due to blocked blood vessels caused by atherosclerosis or a blood clot. Up to twelve percent of ischemic strokes often cause death within thirty days and is among the largest health burdens in developed countries. It is worth noting that the epidemiology of stroke has been changing because of several factors, with the most important being an ageing population, as well as advancements in the treatment of the condition. Stroke prevalence is projected to increase globally as the population of individuals aged above sixty-five years augments (Ovbiagele et al., 2013, p. 2363). Ovbiagele et al. (2013, p. 2361) further note that age is the most significant risk factor for all stroke types, especially ischemic stroke, with incidence of the condition increasing by a factor of more than two every ten years after the age of fifty-five years. Stroke is among the major causes of adult disability because of not only the incapacitating initial symptoms, but also the severe impairment in essential activities such as speech and walking that usually extends

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