Comparison of common types of hemorrhagic stroke | ||
---|---|---|
subarachnoid hemorrhage | intracerebral hemorrhage | |
cause | Ruptured brain aneurysm trauma Idiopathic (no identified cause) |
ischemic stroke credit brain tumor idiopathic |
risk factors | untreated high blood pressure vascular disease blood thinner |
big strokes vascular disease blood thinner |
Symptom | sudden, severe headache | Worsening ischemic stroke symptoms |
therapy | Brain Aneurysm Repair | Hemicraniectomy |
Common Symptoms of Hemorrhagic Stroke
Stroke symptoms can appear suddenly, especially in hemorrhagic strokes. If you or someone else experiences these symptoms, it is important to seek immediate medical attention.
A common way to recognize stroke symptoms is to remember the acronym FAST.
- face: Uneven face, drooping eyelids, uneven smile
- eight: One side of the body is weaker or feels different than the other.
- speech: Difficulty speaking, communicating, or understanding what others are saying.
- hour: Call 911 immediately and ask for help.
Also, call 911 if you have a severe headache, altered mental status, or seizure.
How to Diagnose a Hemorrhagic Stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke is diagnosed in the same way as ischemic stroke. Your health care provider will evaluate your symptoms, perform a physical examination, and order diagnostic tests. Hemorrhagic strokes can often be diagnosed quickly with a computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain.
After initial diagnosis, other tests may include:
- blood test: This may help identify conditions that may cause susceptibility to stroke or bleeding.
- Magnetic resident imaging (MRI) of the brain: This test can confirm brain damage, such as early ischemic changes.
- cerebral angiography: This test visualizes blood vessels in the brain and can identify abnormalities that may require surgical intervention.
Brain imaging is often repeated several days after a hemorrhagic stroke to evaluate whether bleeding has slowed and swelling has subsided.
Emergency treatment for hemorrhagic stroke
Hemorrhagic strokes often require immediate medical intervention. There are a variety of treatments available, and the decision about which treatment is best for you or your loved one will depend on many factors.
Treatment includes:
- Blood pressure management
- Blood sugar stabilization
- Drugs that reduce cerebral edema
- fluid management
- anticonvulsants
Sometimes surgery is needed to prevent damage from a hemorrhagic stroke.
surgical treatment
Surgical treatment after a hemorrhagic stroke may include temporarily removing part of the skull (hemicraniotomy) to relieve pressure from bleeding and swelling. Sometimes blood removal is also possible.
If a brain aneurysm is found during diagnostic testing, it may need to be treated to prevent recurrent bleeding.
Recovery from Hemorrhagic Stroke
Recovery from a hemorrhagic stroke may take several months or longer. Recovery may include rehabilitation, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. These treatments will be tailored to help you or your loved one regain skills lost due to a stroke.
Lifestyle changes may also be necessary to maintain optimal health and prevent future strokes. These changes may include quitting smoking, adjusting your diet, staying active to lose weight, and managing stress.
rehabilitation process
The various aspects of rehabilitation after a stroke include:
- talk therapy
- swallowing therapy
- Physical therapy to restore strength and coordination
- Cognitive therapy to help communication and thinking skills
- Occupational therapy to better adapt to physical limitations caused by stroke
Recovery from a hemorrhagic stroke may require a long-term plan involving collaboration with multiple specialists. Rehabilitation can occur in a variety of settings, including inpatient facilities, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, and at home.
Complications of hemorrhagic stroke
Complications can occur after a hemorrhagic stroke, but not everyone experiences all of them.
Some potential complications include:
- Epilepsy (seizure disorder)
- paralysis
- speech impediment
- loss of vision
- Cognitive (thinking and reasoning) disorders
- difficulty walking
- persistent and recurring headaches
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
The level of disability you may experience is likely related to the location of the hemorrhagic stroke in the brain. For example, a person with a hemorrhage in the frontal lobe may have cognitive difficulties, while a person with a hemorrhage in the parietal lobe may have weakness on one side of the body or have speech problems.
How to Prevent Hemorrhagic Stroke
Strategies to reduce the risk of hemorrhagic stroke include lifestyle modifications and medical interventions.
Hemorrhagic stroke prevention is based on similar strategies to the ischemic stroke prevention approach. If you have specific risk factors, there may be additional prevention strategies to keep in mind.
Prevention includes:
- Maintaining Healthy Blood Pressure
- diabetes control
- maintaining a healthy weight
- Maintaining cholesterol and triglycerides at healthy levels
- Stay physically active
- Avoid smoking or quit if you smoke.
- Getting heart disease treatment if you have heart disease
- Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all
- Do not use recreational drugs
- If you have a brain aneurysm, seek treatment or medical observation.
- Get a checkup if you have a history of brain aneurysm
What is the outlook after a hemorrhagic stroke?
Hemorrhagic strokes are generally considered dangerous and life-threatening for some people. Damage after a hemorrhagic stroke can result in permanent weakness, which may require the use of a cane, walker, or wheelchair.
Additionally, hemorrhagic strokes can cause epilepsy, so some people need to take anticonvulsants for a long time.
Recovery after a hemorrhagic stroke varies. Some people may be able to remain independent and drive and return to work, while others may need assistance with activities of daily living. Your recovery may lie anywhere between these extremes.
It is difficult to predict how much recovery you can expect, but the larger the stroke, the more severe the expected disability. Additionally, if you have previously had a stroke or other health problems, your overall outcome may be worse.
Pediatric hemorrhagic stroke
Children who sustain a serious traumatic head injury at birth or in an accident may experience a hemorrhagic stroke. The outlook depends on the severity of the bleeding, the extent of the damage, where the bleeding occurs, and how quickly treatment is started.
If your child has had a hemorrhagic stroke, he or she will need close medical monitoring and treatment. Guidance and rehabilitation should give your child's doctor an idea of recovery and long-term expectations.
summary
Hemorrhagic stroke, less common than ischemic stroke, is a type of stroke that occurs due to bleeding in the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke can cause weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, vision changes, and severe, sudden headaches.
Complications of a hemorrhagic stroke may include vision loss, paralysis, loss of speech, and seizures. Hemorrhagic strokes can be life-threatening.
Treatment may include fluid management, blood pressure management, and seizure control. Surgery may also be needed to remove the blood and reduce damage from brain swelling.
Recovery after a hemorrhagic stroke includes physical therapy, rehabilitation, and treatment to prevent another stroke.