stroke
A stroke or apoplexy is a circulatory disorder in the brain. This causes a lack of oxygen, which results in the destruction of brain tissue. The most common symptoms of stroke victims are difficulty swallowing, speech disorders, disorientation and paralysis or numbness in one or more extremities.
Strokes can have different degrees of severity depending on the area in which they occur. There are numerous causes of circulatory disorders in the brain, but they are usually due to vascular occlusions. These can be caused by blood clots or fat emboli and result in blood vessels becoming impenetrably blocked. There is no longer any oxygen or glucose supply behind the clogged blood vessel. Hereditary coagulation disorders can also be a cause of strokes.
Risk factors that cause strokes are high blood pressure, smoking, lipid metabolism disorders or diabetes mellitius. Obesity and lack of exercise, as well as alcoholism, can also increase susceptibility to stroke. In general, women are more often affected by a stroke than men.