The Four Most Common Cerebrovascular Diseases

Cerebrovascular diseases are conditions in which the flow of blood to a certain part of the brain is temporarily or permanently blocked.

Everyone knows someone, directly or indirectly, who has had a stroke or aneurysm. These types of attacks have permanent consequences and can sometimes even be fatal. They are very scary to say the least and should make you take better care of yourself in the future.

However, most people are not sufficiently aware of these types of conditions. Unless you’ve experienced it yourself, or if one of your loved ones or friends has suffered from it, you may not fully understand the impact some factors can have on your brain health — such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol. or overweight.

Far too many people die each year from preventable cerebrovascular disease. Some conditions, such as strokes, which can affect even very healthy and young people, are sad realities that completely mock all logic.

However, there are certain factors that you should consider in relation to these cerebrovascular diseases and the indications that accompany them. This way you can limit the impact they can have on your life.

It is worth devoting some time and energy to cerebrovascular disease.

The Four Most Common Cerebrovascular Diseases

As we mentioned earlier, cerebrovascular disease is characterized by a blockage in blood flow to the brain. Disruptions in your blood flow can cause two types of problems: ischemic problems or hemorrhagic problems. 

Problems of an ischemic nature are without doubt the most common and usually have the same cause in all patients: osteoarthritis. We have already discussed osteoarthritis on our blog several times. This is a condition that occurs when there is very high cholesterol along with inflammation in the arteries of the brain.

These factors lead to a slow, progressive and very debilitating condition: the accumulation of plaque in the blood vessels. This accumulation causes circulation problems in the brain. This can eventually lead to cognitive problems and dementia.

This is by no means an insignificant problem. By taking the right preventive measures now and developing good living habits, we will reap the benefits in the future.

1. Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT)

• Thrombosis is an ischemic stroke.

• In 80% of cases, this condition has this origin.
• CVT occurs when the arteries in the brain narrow because blood flow is blocked, due to a thrombus.

This condition is usually accompanied by a few small warning signs before the arteries in the brain completely close. Therefore, it is essential to pay close attention to the following symptoms:

• Numbness or tingling on one side of the body
• Severe headache
• Difficulty communicating or understanding things
• Dizziness or difficulty walking
• Vision Problems

2. Cerebral Embolism

Also, a cerebral embolism is a type of cerebrovascular disease that has an ischemic origin. Before, a ‘thrombus’ was the cause of the problem, but now it’s plaque. Just to clarify: a thrombus is a blood clot that forms against the artery wall of an important artery and thus obstructs circulation.

However , an embolism occurs when a piece of plaque breaks free from a vein wall and ends up in the brain. Unlike cerebral venous thrombosis, the patch of plaque can also dislodge very far from the obstruction itself, often just near the heart.

The symptoms are similar to those of thrombosis: numbness on one side of the body, difficulty expressing or communicating with yourself.

If treated promptly, the patient with an embolus may be given a drug called ‘alteplase’ that is able to dissolve the plaque. If this works, life expectancy will increase significantly.

3. Cerebral hemorrhage or intracerebral hemorrhage

By now we have discussed the two most common ischemic brain disorders and so we now want to talk about two disorders that are hermorrhagic in nature.

The most common hermorrhagic condition is an aneurysm. In this case, a weak part of a blood vessel in the brain becomes abnormally widened. When an aneurysm bursts, it is a brain haemorrhage.

Despite the impact an aneurysm can have, ischemic strokes continue to cause more damage and claim lives every year.

The main problem with an aneurysm is that it doesn’t cause many symptoms. Some people can walk around for years with dilated blood vessels in their brains, without any problems at all, until the blood vessel suddenly just bursts.

4. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Subarachnoid hemorrhages often occur when there is high blood pressure. This is a factor that you should definitely keep an eye on.

In this case, a blood vessel will also burst and this will almost always be a blood vessel on the surface of the brain. The fracture occurs in the part between the brain and the skull. However, it will never end up in the brain itself.

Life expectancy after such a hemorrhage depends on how quickly the patient receives medical attention. In any case, it is essential to be aware of the following symptoms:

• Problems with concentration
• Discomfort in bright light
• Irritability, bad mood, personality changes
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Vomiting and Dizziness
• Sudden Attacks

However, the most obvious symptom has to do with your eyesight. You may not see anything for a few minutes or see very bright lights or other optical phenomena.

If there is a problem or minor anomaly, it is always best to trust your instincts: consult an expert immediately.