A stroke is a medical condition that occurs when the artery which carries blood to the brain becomes clogged by a blood clot (ischemic stroke) or ruptures (hemorrhagic stroke). Hence, the brain gets deprived of oxygen. As there is a lack of oxygen, the nerve cells in the brain die and can’t be restored. Consequently, certain parts of the body which are controlled by the impacted nerve cells become disabled.
The most common strokes are ischemic and happen as a result of blood clots. These clots can either form in the arteries going to the brain or can come from some other part of the body. The larger number of clots which come from other parts of the body are formed during atrial fibrillation.
There are four types of ischemic strokes, including Ischemic Stroke, Hemorrhagic Stroke, TIA, and Cryptogenic Stroke. The Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini strokes are considered as warning strokes as the blood clot temporarily blocks an artery. The Transient Ischemic Attack usually lasts for seconds and no more than 5 minutes. Moreover, they don’t cause permanent damage. People who have experienced these mini strokes are more prone to having a full-blown stroke within a year. Hence, if you have a TIA, make sure to seek emergency medical attention.
When a person has a full-fledged stroke, the nerve cells which are responsible for controlling the functions of the body are generally damaged. So, stroke survivors lose a number of body functions, such as speech, hearing, vision, thinking, memory, and motor skills. Additionally, many people who have experienced stroke suffer from paralysis or difficulty moving one side of the body. They might also have difficulty thinking clearly and might have distorted speech. In order to regain lost skills, the person has to undergo rehabilitation.
The Link Between Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation
When a person’s heart is enlarged, weakened, or overworked, it cannot work properly and as a result, there is more blood pooled in the atria. During atrial fibrillation the atria trembles and doesn’t empty completely. Hence, blood clots form in the atria. A blood clot can break loose and be carried to the small arteries feeding the brain, blocking the arteries and cutting off oxygenated blood to the nerve cells in the brain, thus causing a stroke. So, more nerve cells die if the artery is blocked for a prolonged time. These nerve cells can never be rejuvenated.
In fact, every year in the United States about 700,000 people have a stroke. That means that a stroke occurs every 45 seconds. Atrial fibrillation is held accountable for 15–20% of strokes in the country. This has been concluded that people who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation are at an increased risk of a stroke. It means that approximately 35% of atrial fibrillation patients will have a stroke during their lifetime.
The highest risk for clots is in patients who besides atrial fibrillation also have other health issues, such as sick sinus syndrome, myocardial disease, and mitral stenosis. Therefore, if you are an atrial fibrillation patient, you are at significant risk of stroke, especially if your atrial fibrillation is untreated or uncontrolled. During atrial fibrillation, most of the clots that originate in other parts of the body are formed. So, you will probably be given a certain medicine to prevent this formation of blood clots. The major source of these clots is the left atrial appendage of the heart. Now days, it is a common practice to remove the left atrial appendage via surgical ablation. This is especially important for people who have atrial fibrillation as it prevents the formation of clots that cause strokes.