Without normal blood flow, brain cells start to die, and the functions controlled by that area of the brain — such as speech or muscle movement or vision — are impaired or lost, the National Stroke Association says.
The result may be neurological, cognitive and physical disability or death. The longer the blockage, the greater the damage. That's why it's critical to get medical help as quickly as possible when signs and symptoms appear, Shafie says.
Because the cause of a stroke and the amount of damage it causes in the brain vary widely, there's no “typical” duration of a stroke. Some strokes last for a few minutes while others continue for hours or even days.
A study of middle-aged people with no apparent signs of stroke found that about 10% had brain damage from one. The damage that happens is permanent, but therapy might help stimulate other parts of the brain so you regain abilities that may have weakened.
First Few Weeks After a Stroke. The typical length of a hospital stay after a stroke is five to seven days. During this time, the stroke care team will evaluate the effects of the stroke, which will determine the rehabilitation plan.
Early treatment for ischemic stroke (clot)
It must be given as soon as possible, ideally within 4½ hours after stroke symptoms started.
Typically, medication needs to be given within three hours of when symptoms began. In some cases, that window can be extended to four and a half hours, or more. Another stroke treatment option is for specialized doctors to remove the clot by sending a catheter to the site of the blocked blood vessel.
The first three days are of utmost importance for the recovery and survival rate of the stroke patient, since they can determine if the patient will have lifelong disabilities or leave the hospital and continue to be a productive part of the community.
The first hour is considered to be the most crucial or in other terms “golden” because stroke patients have a high chance of survival and prevention of long-term brain damage if they receive medical treatment and drug therapy within the first 60 minutes of the onset of symptoms.
Symptoms. Most ischemic strokes occur rapidly, over minutes to hours, and immediate medical care is vital. If you notice one or more of these signs in another person or in yourself, do not wait to seek help.
The stroke recovery process is long and can come with many challenges, including the feeling that symptoms are getting worse instead of better. However, know that regression after stroke is common and often temporary. This can be impacted by factors such as new medications, schedule changes, or excess fatigue.
Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke. One study found that 43% of stroke patients experienced mini-stroke symptoms up to a week before they had a major stroke.
Other brain cells die because they are damaged by sudden bleeding in or around the brain. Some brain cells die quickly but many linger in a compromised or weakened state for several hours. Stroke causes permanent brain damage over minutes to hours.
Even after surviving a stroke, you're not out of the woods, since having one makes it a lot more likely that you'll have another. In fact, of the 795,000 Americans who will have a first stroke this year, 23 percent will suffer a second stroke.
Ischemic stroke
If you arrive within four-and-a-half hours of the onset of the stroke, you might receive a medication called IV tPA (intravenous tissue plasminogen activator). This is a protein that your body makes to break up clots.
Few patients recover fully and most are left with some disability, but the majority exhibit some degree of spontaneous recovery. Doctors and scientists don't fully understand how this happens, because the brain does not grow new cells to replace the ones damaged by the stroke.
Ischemic stroke was most frequent in the anterior circulation (87.7%). Within 72 hours after stroke onset 48.0% of the patients had impaired arm and hand function and this was positively associated with higher age (p < 0.004), longer stay in the acute care (p < 0.001) and mortality in acute care (p < 0.001).
Stroke impacts the brain, and the brain controls our behavior and emotions. You or your loved one may experience feelings of irritability, forgetfulness, carelessness or confusion. Feelings of anger, anxiety or depression are also common.
Strokes can cause weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, and can result in problems with co-ordination and balance. Many people also experience extreme tiredness (fatigue) in the first few weeks after a stroke, and may also have difficulty sleeping, making them even more tired.
Stress can cause the heart to work harder, increase blood pressure, and increase sugar and fat levels in the blood. These things, in turn, can increase the risk of clots forming and travelling to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
Can a CT scan detect old strokes? Yes – like an MRI, a CT scan can detect old strokes. There may be changes in the volume of brain cells where the stroke took place.