A stroke, also known as CVA or cerebrovascular accident, is sometimes called a brain attack. A stroke can injure the brain like a heart attack can injure the heart. A stroke occurs when part of the brain does not get the blood it needs.There are two types of stroke. These are the Ischemic stroke that happens when blood is blocked from getting to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke, which often happens because the artery is clogged with fatty deposits, other known as atherosclerosis, or a blood clot. And the other one is Hemorrhagic stroke. This type of stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, and blood bleeds into the brain. This type of stroke can be caused by an aneurysm, a thin or weak spot in an artery that balloons out and can burst.Both types of stroke can cause brain cells to die. This may cause a person to lose control of their speech, movement, and memory.A transient ischemic attack or TIA is a mini stroke that happens when, for a short time, less blood than normal gets to the brain. You may have some signs of stroke or you may not notice any signs. A mini-stroke lasts from a few minutes up to a day. Many people do not even know they have had a stroke in this case. A mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack can be a sign of a full stroke to come. Thus it is important to monitor regularly the blood pressure to avoid the occurrence of stroke since this happen the blood pressure rises.Most people have two or more signs. The most common signs are sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, mainly on one side of the body, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, sudden confusion or trouble fast talking or understanding speech and sudden bad headache with no known cause. A stroke happens fast Women may have unique symptoms. Sudden and arm and leg pain, sudden hiccups, sudden nausea or a feeling sick to your stomach, sudden tiredness, sudden chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, feeling like you can not get enough air and sudden pounding or racing heartbeat are some of the signs.

In diagnosing a stroke, the doctor will usually start by asking the patient what happened and when the symptoms began. Then the doctor will ask the patient some questions to see if she or he is thinking clearly. The doctor also will test the patient’s reflexes to see if she or he may have had any physical damage. This helps the doctor find out which tests are needed.

The doctor may order one or more of the following tests. These include imaging tests that give a picture of the brain. These include CT, computed tomography, scanning, sometimes called CAT scans and MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, scanning. CT scans are useful for finding out if a stroke is caused by a blockage or by bleeding in the brain. Another is the electrical tests such as EEG or electroencephalogram and an evoked response test to record the electrical impulses and sensory processes of the brain. The effect of stroke depends on the type of stroke attack, the area of the brain where the stroke occurs, and the extent of brain injury. A mild stroke can cause little or no brain damage. However, a major stroke can cause severe brain damage and even death.Experts think that up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented. Some stroke risk factors cannot be controlled, such as age, family history, and ethnicity. But you can reduce your chances of having a stroke by taking these steps. Know your blood pressure, do not smoke, do not drink alcohol or if not, put a limit to your drinking, get tested for diabetes, get your cholesterol and triglyceride levels tested, maintain a healthy weight, and also find ways to cope with stress. Original text here:

http://www.4woman.gov/faq/stroke.htm