The Brunnstrom Approach sets out a sequence of stages of recovery from hemiplegia after a stroke . It was developed by the Swedish physical therapist Signe Brunnström , and emphasises the synergic pattern of movement which develops during recovery. This approach encourages development of flexor and extensor synergies during early recovery, with the intention that synergic activation of muscles will, with training, transition into voluntary activation of movements.
62-406: The Brunnstrom Approach follows six proposed stages of sequential motor recovery after a stroke . A patient can plateau at any of these stages, but will generally follow this sequence if he or she makes a full recovery. The variability found between patients depends on the location and severity of the lesion , and the potential for adaptation. Brunnstrom (1966, 1970) and Sawner (1992) also described
124-425: A broken bone ), air, cancer cells or clumps of bacteria (usually from infectious endocarditis ). Because an embolus arises from elsewhere, local therapy solves the problem only temporarily. Thus, the source of the embolus must be identified. Because the embolic blockage is sudden in onset, symptoms are usually maximal at the start. Also, symptoms may be transient as the embolus is partially resorbed and moves to
186-405: A severe headache . The symptoms of stroke can be permanent. Long-term complications may include pneumonia and loss of bladder control . The biggest risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure . Other risk factors include high blood cholesterol , tobacco smoking , obesity , diabetes mellitus , a previous TIA , end-stage kidney disease , and atrial fibrillation . Ischemic stroke
248-583: A 70–99% stenosis, for every six people treated, one major stroke would be prevented at two years (i.e., a number needed to treat of six). Unlike asymptomatic patients, symptomatic people with moderate carotid stenosis (50–69%) still benefit from endarterectomy, albeit to a lesser degree, with a number needed to treat of 22 at five years. Recent evidence demonstrated that unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaques are responsible for cerebral ischemic events and symptoms (stroke or transient ischemic attack ) in these patients. In addition, co-morbidity adversely affects
310-473: A CT scan. Other tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood tests are done to determine risk factors and possible causes. Low blood sugar may cause similar symptoms. Prevention includes decreasing risk factors, surgery to open up the arteries to the brain in those with problematic carotid narrowing , and anticoagulant medication in people with atrial fibrillation . Aspirin or statins may be recommended by physicians for prevention. Stroke
372-444: A complete blockage of one of the carotid arteries, the risk of stroke on that side is about one percent per year. A special form of embolic stroke is the embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). This subset of cryptogenic stroke is defined as a non-lacunar brain infarct without proximal arterial stenosis or cardioembolic sources. About one out of six cases of ischemic stroke could be classified as ESUS. Cerebral hypoperfusion
434-441: A different location or dissipates altogether. Emboli most commonly arise from the heart (especially in atrial fibrillation ) but may originate from elsewhere in the arterial tree. In paradoxical embolism , a deep vein thrombosis embolizes through an atrial or ventricular septal defect in the heart into the brain. Causes of stroke related to the heart can be distinguished between high- and low-risk: Among those who have
496-400: A high risk for ischemic stroke. There are two main types of hemorrhagic stroke: The above two main types of hemorrhagic stroke are also two different forms of intracranial hemorrhage , which is the accumulation of blood anywhere within the cranial vault ; but the other forms of intracranial hemorrhage, such as epidural hematoma (bleeding between the skull and the dura mater , which is
558-441: A person, when asked to raise both arms, involuntarily lets one arm drift downward) and abnormal speech are the findings most likely to lead to the correct identification of a case of stroke, increasing the likelihood by 5.5 when at least one of these is present. Similarly, when all three of these are absent, the likelihood of stroke is decreased (– likelihood ratio of 0.39). While these findings are not perfect for diagnosing stroke,
620-452: A problem. Its appearance makes it advisable to seek medical review and to consider prevention against stroke . In thrombotic stroke, a thrombus (blood clot) usually forms around atherosclerotic plaques. Since blockage of the artery is gradual, onset of symptomatic thrombotic stroke is slower than that of hemorrhagic stroke. A thrombus itself (even if it does not completely block the blood vessel) can lead to an embolic stroke (see below) if
682-540: A severe headache known as a thunderclap headache ) or reveal evidence of a previous head injury . Stroke may be preceded by premonitory symptoms, which may indicate a stroke is imminent. These symptoms may include dizziness, dysarthria (speech disorder), exhaustion, hemiparesis (weakness on one side of the body), paresthesia (tingling, pricking, chilling, burning, numbness of the skin), pathological laughter, seizure that turns into paralysis, "thunderclap" headache, or vomiting. Premonitory symptoms are not diagnostic of
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#1732780303003744-432: A stroke, and may be a sign of other illness. Assessing onset (gradual or sudden), duration, and the presence of other associated symptoms are important, and premonitory symptoms may not appear at all or may vary depending on the type of stroke. Stroke symptoms typically start suddenly, over seconds to minutes, and in most cases do not progress further. The symptoms depend on the area of the brain affected. The more extensive
806-519: A stroke. In 2021, stroke was the third biggest cause of death, responsible for approximately 10% of total deaths. In 2015, there were about 42.4 million people who had previously had stroke and were still alive. Between 1990 and 2010 the annual incidence of stroke decreased by approximately 10% in the developed world , but increased by 10% in the developing world. In 2015, stroke was the second most frequent cause of death after coronary artery disease , accounting for 6.3 million deaths (11% of
868-415: A subarachnoid hemorrhage or an embolic stroke. If the area of the brain affected includes one of the three prominent central nervous system pathways —the spinothalamic tract , corticospinal tract , and the dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway , symptoms may include: In most cases, the symptoms affect only one side of the body (unilateral). The defect in the brain is usually on the opposite side of
930-528: Is carotid stenting , which can also reduce the risk of stroke for some patients. Carotid endarterectomy is used to reduce the risk of strokes caused by carotid artery stenosis over time. Carotid stenosis can either have symptoms (i.e., be symptomatic), or be found by a doctor in the absence of symptoms (asymptomatic) - and the risk-reduction from endarterectomy is greater for symptomatic than asymptomatic patients. Carotid endarterectomy itself can cause strokes, so to be of benefit in preventing strokes over time,
992-413: Is a surgical procedure used to reduce the risk of stroke from carotid artery stenosis (narrowing the internal carotid artery ). In endarterectomy , the surgeon opens the artery and removes the plaque. The plaque forms and thickens the inner layer of the artery, or intima , hence the name of the procedure which simply means removal of part of the internal layers of the artery. An alternative procedure
1054-445: Is a medical emergency. Ischemic strokes, if detected within three to four-and-a-half hours, may be treatable with medication that can break down the clot , while hemorrhagic strokes sometimes benefit from surgery . Treatment to attempt recovery of lost function is called stroke rehabilitation , and ideally takes place in a stroke unit; however, these are not available in much of the world. In 2023, 15 million people worldwide had
1116-400: Is a related syndrome of stroke symptoms that resolve completely within 24 hours. With the availability of treatments that can reduce stroke severity when given early, many now prefer alternative terminology, such as "brain attack" and "acute ischemic cerebrovascular syndrome" (modeled after heart attack and acute coronary syndrome , respectively), to reflect the urgency of stroke symptoms and
1178-536: Is an example of one widely used scale. The FMA consists of five sub-scales that relate to various aspects of a patient's upper and lower extremity, and the sub-scales are as follows: Each component of the FMA may be evaluated and scored individually or, a total possible summative score for all 5 sub-scales of 226 may be used to track a patient's degree of recovery. The influence of the Brunnstrom Approach on
1240-409: Is an irritant which could potentially destroy cells since it is an acid and disrupts the normal acid-base balance in the brain. The ischemia area is referred to as the "ischemic penumbra ". After the initial ischemic event the penumbra transitions from a tissue remodeling characterized by damage to a remodeling characterized by repair. As oxygen or glucose becomes depleted in ischemic brain tissue,
1302-441: Is associated with headache and high blood pressure following surgery. Long term complications include restenosis of the endarterectomy bed, although the clinical significance of this is controversial in asymptomatic patients. The procedure should be avoided when: High risk criteria for carotid endarterectomy include the following: Carotid artery stenting is an alternative to carotid endarterectomy in cases where endarterectomy
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#17327803030031364-503: Is between 1% and 2%, although some patients are considered to be at higher risk, such as those with ulcerated plaques. This low rate of stroke means that there is less potential stroke risk-reduction from endarterectomy for asymptomatic patients relative to symptomatic patients. However, for asymptomatic patients with severe carotid stenosis (80-99%), carotid endarterectomy plus treatment with a statin medicine and anti-platelet therapy does reduces stroke risk further than medication alone in
1426-760: Is closed using suture with or without a patch to increase the size of the lumen . Hemostasis is achieved, and the overlying layers closed with suture. The skin can be closed with suture which may be visible or invisible (absorbable). Many surgeons place a temporary shunt to ensure blood supply to the brain during the procedure. The procedure may be performed under general or local anaesthesia . The latter allows for direct monitoring of neurological status by intra-operative verbal contact and neurological assessment. With general anaesthesia, indirect methods of assessing cerebral perfusion must be used. Electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial doppler analysis, cerebral oximetry, or carotid artery stump pressure monitoring can guide
1488-408: Is considered too risky. An incision is made on the midline side of the sternocleidomastoid muscle . The incision is between 5 and 10 cm (2.0 and 3.9 in) in length. The internal, common and external carotid arteries are carefully identified, controlled with vessel loops, and clamped. The lumen of the internal carotid artery is opened, and the atheromatous plaque substance removed. The artery
1550-442: Is less reliable in the recognition of posterior circulation stroke. The revised mnemonic BE FAST , which adds balance (sudden trouble keeping balance while walking or standing) and eyesight (new onset of blurry or double vision or sudden, painless loss of sight) to the assessment, has been proposed to address this shortcoming and improve early detection of stroke even further. Other scales for prehospital detection of stroke include
1612-409: Is the reduction of blood flow to all parts of the brain. The reduction could be to a particular part of the brain depending on the cause. It is most commonly due to heart failure from cardiac arrest or arrhythmias , or from reduced cardiac output as a result of myocardial infarction , pulmonary embolism , pericardial effusion , or bleeding. Hypoxemia (low blood oxygen content) may precipitate
1674-447: Is the second leading cause of death in people under 20 with sickle-cell anemia. Air pollution may also increase stroke risk. An embolic stroke refers to an arterial embolism (a blockage of an artery) by an embolus , a traveling particle or debris in the arterial bloodstream originating from elsewhere. An embolus is most frequently a thrombus, but it can also be a number of other substances including fat (e.g., from bone marrow in
1736-522: Is typically caused by blockage of a blood vessel, though there are also less common causes. Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by either bleeding directly into the brain or into the space between the brain's membranes . Bleeding may occur due to a ruptured brain aneurysm . Diagnosis is typically based on a physical exam and supported by medical imaging such as a CT scan or MRI scan . A CT scan can rule out bleeding, but may not necessarily rule out ischemia, which early on typically does not show up on
1798-422: The cerebral cortex is involved, the central nervous system pathways can again be affected, but can also produce the following symptoms: If the cerebellum is involved, ataxia might be present and this includes: In the days before a stroke (generally in the previous 7 days, even the previous one), a considerable proportion of patients have a "sentinel headache": a severe and unusual headache that indicates
1860-650: The Los Angeles Prehospital Stroke Screen (LAPSS) and the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS), on which the FAST method was based. Use of these scales is recommended by professional guidelines. For people referred to the emergency room , early recognition of stroke is deemed important as this can expedite diagnostic tests and treatments. A scoring system called ROSIER (recognition of stroke in
1922-538: The World Health Organization defined "stroke" as a "neurological deficit of cerebrovascular cause that persists beyond 24 hours or is interrupted by death within 24 hours", although the word "stroke" is centuries old. This definition was supposed to reflect the reversibility of tissue damage and was devised for the purpose, with the time frame of 24 hours being chosen arbitrarily. The 24-hour limit divides stroke from transient ischemic attack , which
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1984-487: The ventricular system , CSF or the pial surface. A third of intracerebral bleed is into the brain's ventricles. ICH has a mortality rate of 44 percent after 30 days, higher than ischemic stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage (which technically may also be classified as a type of stroke ). Other causes may include spasm of an artery. This may occur due to cocaine . Cancer is also another well recognized potential cause of stroke. Although, malignancy in general can increase
2046-461: The Bamford or Oxford classification) relies primarily on the initial symptoms; based on the extent of the symptoms, the stroke episode is classified as total anterior circulation infarct (TACI), partial anterior circulation infarct (PACI), lacunar infarct (LACI) or posterior circulation infarct (POCI). These four entities predict the extent of the stroke, the area of the brain that is affected,
2108-707: The Portuguese surgeon Joao Cid dos Santos in 1946, when he operated an occluded subsartorial artery, at the University of Lisbon . In 1951 an Argentinian surgeon repaired a carotid artery occlusion using a bypass procedure. The first endarterectomy was successfully performed by Michael DeBakey around 1953, at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX, although the technique was not reported in the medical literature until 1975. The first case to be recorded in
2170-501: The area of the brain affected, the more functions that are likely to be lost. Some forms of stroke can cause additional symptoms. For example, in intracranial hemorrhage, the affected area may compress other structures. Most forms of stroke are not associated with a headache , apart from subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral venous thrombosis and occasionally intracerebral hemorrhage. Systems have been proposed to increase recognition of stroke. Sudden-onset face weakness, arm drift (i.e., if
2232-408: The blood supply to the brain, while hemorrhagic stroke results from the rupture of a blood vessel or an abnormal vascular structure . About 87% of stroke is ischemic, with the rest being hemorrhagic. Bleeding can develop inside areas of ischemia, a condition known as " hemorrhagic transformation ." It is unknown how many cases of hemorrhagic stroke actually start as ischemic stroke. In the 1970s
2294-401: The blood supply by narrowing the lumen of blood vessels leading to a reduction of blood flow by causing the formation of blood clots within the vessel or by releasing showers of small emboli through the disintegration of atherosclerotic plaques. Embolic infarction occurs when emboli formed elsewhere in the circulatory system, typically in the heart as a consequence of atrial fibrillation, or in
2356-471: The body. However, since these pathways also travel in the spinal cord and any lesion there can also produce these symptoms, the presence of any one of these symptoms does not necessarily indicate stroke. In addition to the above central nervous system pathways, the brainstem gives rise to most of the twelve cranial nerves . A brainstem stroke affecting the brainstem and brain, therefore, can produce symptoms relating to deficits in these cranial nerves: If
2418-567: The brain and places the person at increased risk for both transient ischemic attack and major stroke in the future. Conversely, those who have had major stroke are also at risk of having silent stroke. In a broad study in 1998, more than 11 million people were estimated to have experienced stroke in the United States. Approximately 770,000 of these were symptomatic and 11 million were first-ever silent MRI infarcts or hemorrhages . Silent stroke typically causes lesions which are detected via
2480-461: The brain to stop functioning properly. Signs and symptoms of stroke may include an inability to move or feel on one side of the body , problems understanding or speaking , dizziness , or loss of vision to one side . Signs and symptoms often appear soon after the stroke has occurred. If symptoms last less than 24 hours, the stroke is a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a mini-stroke. Hemorrhagic stroke may also be associated with
2542-426: The carotid arteries, break off, enter the cerebral circulation, then lodge in and block brain blood vessels. Since blood vessels in the brain are now blocked, the brain becomes low in energy, and thus it resorts to using anaerobic metabolism within the region of brain tissue affected by ischemia. Anaerobic metabolism produces less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) but releases a by-product called lactic acid . Lactic acid
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2604-424: The cells of the nervous system is normally kept low by so-called uptake carriers, which are powered by the concentration gradients of ions (mainly Na ) across the cell membrane. However, stroke cuts off the supply of oxygen and glucose which powers the ion pumps maintaining these gradients. As a result, the transmembrane ion gradients run down, and glutamate transporters reverse their direction, releasing glutamate into
2666-494: The development of the FMA is most evident within the Motor sub-scale for both the upper and lower extremity where there is a strong emphasis on the evaluation of muscle synergies. Stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death . There are two main types of stroke: ischemic , due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic , due to bleeding . Both cause parts of
2728-411: The emergency room) is recommended for this purpose; it is based on features from the medical history and physical examination. Loss of consciousness , headache , and vomiting usually occur more often in hemorrhagic stroke than in thrombosis because of the increased intracranial pressure from the leaking blood compressing the brain. If symptoms are maximal at onset, the cause is more likely to be
2790-442: The extracellular space. Glutamate acts on receptors in nerve cells (especially NMDA receptors), producing an influx of calcium which activates enzymes that digest the cells' proteins, lipids, and nuclear material. Calcium influx can also lead to the failure of mitochondria , which can lead further toward energy depletion and may trigger cell death due to programmed cell death . Carotid endarterectomy Carotid endarterectomy
2852-721: The fact that they can be evaluated relatively rapidly and easily make them very valuable in the acute setting. A mnemonic to remember the warning signs of stroke is FAST (facial droop, arm weakness, speech difficulty, and time to call emergency services), as advocated by the Department of Health (United Kingdom) and the Stroke Association , the American Stroke Association , and the National Stroke Association (US). FAST
2914-426: The five years following surgery. The most feared complication of carotid endarterectomy is stroke. Risks of stroke at the time of surgery are higher for symptomatic (3–5%) than asymptomatic patients (1–3%). Bleeding, infection, and cranial nerve injury are also risks at the time of surgery. Following surgery, a rare early complication is cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome , also known as reperfusion syndrome, which
2976-535: The hypoperfusion. Because the reduction in blood flow is global, all parts of the brain may be affected, especially vulnerable "watershed" areas—border zone regions supplied by the major cerebral arteries. A watershed stroke refers to the condition when the blood supply to these areas is compromised. Blood flow to these areas does not necessarily stop, but instead it may lessen to the point where brain damage can occur. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis leads to stroke due to locally increased venous pressure, which exceeds
3038-497: The medical literature was in The Lancet in 1954; the surgeon was Felix Eastcott, a consultant surgeon and deputy director of the surgical unit at St Mary's Hospital, London , UK. Eastcott's procedure was not strictly an endarterectomy as we now understand it; he excised the diseased part of the artery and then resutured the healthy ends together. Carotid endarterectomy was finally shown to be effective in stroke prevention after
3100-482: The need to act swiftly. During ischemic stroke, blood supply to part of the brain is decreased, leading to dysfunction of the brain tissue in that area. There are four reasons why this might happen: Stroke without an obvious explanation is termed cryptogenic stroke ( idiopathic ); this constitutes 30–40% of all cases of ischemic stroke. There are classification systems for acute ischemic stroke. The Oxford Community Stroke Project classification (OCSP, also known as
3162-476: The outcome: people with multiple medical problems have a higher post-operative mortality rate and hence benefit less from the procedure. For maximum benefit people should be operated on soon after a stroke or transient ischemic attack, preferably within the first 2 weeks. Asymptomatic people have narrowing of their carotid arteries, but have not experienced a transient ischemic attack or stroke. The annual risk of stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid disease
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#17327803030033224-402: The placement of a shunt, or a shunt may be routinely used. At present there is still ongoing debate related to difference in outcome between local and general anaesthesia, and methods of determining the need for a shunt. However, excellent outcomes can be achieved by performing carotid endarterectomy under local local anaesthesia . The endarterectomy procedure was developed and first done by
3286-721: The pressure generated by the arteries. Infarcts are more likely to undergo hemorrhagic transformation (leaking of blood into the damaged area) than other types of ischemic stroke. It generally occurs in small arteries or arterioles and is commonly due to hypertension, intracranial vascular malformations (including cavernous angiomas or arteriovenous malformations ), cerebral amyloid angiopathy , or infarcts into which secondary hemorrhage has occurred. Other potential causes are trauma, bleeding disorders , amyloid angiopathy , illicit drug use (e.g., amphetamines or cocaine ). The hematoma enlarges until pressure from surrounding tissue limits its growth, or until it decompresses by emptying into
3348-459: The process of recovery following stroke-induced hemiplegia. The process was divided into a number of stages: The 6 stages are as follows: The six component stages of the Brunnstrom Approach have influenced the development of a variety of standardized assessment methods used by physiotherapists and occupational therapists to evaluate and track the progress of persons recovering from stroke. The Fugl Meyer Assessment of Physical Performance (FMA)
3410-423: The production of high energy phosphate compounds such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) fails, leading to failure of energy-dependent processes (such as ion pumping) necessary for tissue cell survival. This sets off a series of interrelated events that result in cellular injury and death. A major cause of neuronal injury is the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. The concentration of glutamate outside
3472-462: The risk of stroke, certain types of cancer such as pancreatic, lung and gastric are typically associated with a higher thromboembolism risk. The mechanism with which cancer increases stroke risk is thought to be secondary to an acquired hypercoagulability . Silent stroke is stroke that does not have any outward symptoms, and people are typically unaware they had experienced stroke. Despite not causing identifiable symptoms, silent stroke still damages
3534-445: The risks for combined 30-day mortality and stroke risk following surgery should be < 3% for asymptomatic people and ≤ 6% for symptomatic people. Carotid endarterectomy does not treat symptoms of prior strokes. It is controversial if carotid endarterectomy can improve cognitive function in some patients. Symptomatic people have had either a stroke or transient ischemic attack or amaurosis fugax. In symptomatic patients with
3596-592: The thick outermost layer of the meninges that surround the brain) and subdural hematoma (bleeding in the subdural space ), are not considered "hemorrhagic stroke". Hemorrhagic stroke may occur on the background of alterations to the blood vessels in the brain, such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy , cerebral arteriovenous malformation and an intracranial aneurysm , which can cause intraparenchymal or subarachnoid hemorrhage. In addition to neurological impairment, hemorrhagic stroke usually causes specific symptoms (for instance, subarachnoid hemorrhage classically causes
3658-479: The thrombus breaks off and travels in the bloodstream, at which point it is called an embolus . Two types of thrombosis can cause stroke: Anemia causes increase blood flow in the blood circulatory system. This causes the endothelial cells of the blood vessels to express adhesion factors which encourages the clotting of blood and formation of thrombus. Sickle-cell anemia , which can cause blood cells to clump up and block blood vessels, can also lead to stroke. Stroke
3720-402: The total). About 3.0 million deaths resulted from ischemic stroke while 3.3 million deaths resulted from hemorrhagic stroke. About half of people who have had stroke live less than one year. Overall, two thirds of cases of stroke occurred in those over 65 years old. Stroke can be classified into two major categories: ischemic and hemorrhagic . Ischemic stroke is caused by interruption of
3782-691: The underlying cause, and the prognosis. The TOAST (Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) classification is based on clinical symptoms as well as results of further investigations; on this basis, stroke is classified as being due to (1) thrombosis or embolism due to atherosclerosis of a large artery, (2) an embolism originating in the heart , (3) complete blockage of a small blood vessel, (4) other determined cause, (5) undetermined cause (two possible causes, no cause identified, or incomplete investigation). Users of stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine are at
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#17327803030033844-407: The use of neuroimaging such as MRI . Silent stroke is estimated to occur at five times the rate of symptomatic stroke. The risk of silent stroke increases with age, but they may also affect younger adults and children, especially those with acute anemia . Ischemic stroke occurs because of a loss of blood supply to part of the brain, initiating the ischemic cascade . Atherosclerosis may disrupt
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