The Reason Of Causeless Stroke May Be Hole In The Heart Or Rhtyhm Disorder
Stroke is among the top ranks in the causes of death and disability in the world and our country. Causes of 30%-40% of the stroke cases cannot be detected in spite of research. It is known that approximately 60% of these stroke cases caused by cardiac problems. Stroke may reveal itself as a sudden visual and speech loss, weakness in arms and legs, disability of half of the body, loss of consciousness or speech impairment, being unable to remember words, hesitation while speaking, temporary visual loss, blurriness and numbness in tongue. Memorial Ankara Hospital Cardiology Department Chair Prof. Dr. Ali Oto gave information about the relationship between heart and stroke.
Rhythm disorder may cause blood clot, and this may be resulted with stroke
When there is a rhythm disorder called as atrial fibrillation in the pair of atrial auricle and ventricle which normally contract simultaneously, the auricle does not contract but vibrates and the blood in auricle becomes like still water, a blood clot occurs. The blood clot frequently comes out there to the brain which gets the best, cleanest blood from heart. The relationship between rhythm disorder, blood clot and stroke is well known but 60% of the patients may not have any rhythm disorder at the moment when the stroke happens. Detection of rhythm disorder may be only possible by tracking the patient for a long time. For this reason, the rhythm monitors named holter are placed on the patient for a long time and info about the rhythm can be obtained via a computer analysis. Recently, rhythm recording systems with special computers given under the skin with a thin, 1 cm long injection are also used to detect rhythm disorders. These systems stay under the skin for 3 years and rhythm disorder evaluations can be made with the assistance of wireless devices and computers.
Hole in the heart may cause stroke
The patients who had a stroke caused by the heart may have a congenital hole in their heart. Sometimes there may be a big hole in the division between the auricles and patient may have a stroke suddenly. In order to make a diagnosis in this situation, it may be needed to have an echocardiography, that is, examining the heart via ultrasonography directly or entering the alimentary canal via throat to see the heart more closely. There are also some unobvious holes in the heart. Babies cannot breathe in the womb, their blood goes to their mother via the navel string and after being cleaned in mother’s lungs, and then returned to the side of venous blood via the navel string again. It passes from the right atrium to the left one, but this intermediary division closes with the delivery when the baby cries for the first time. In some persons, this division doesn’t close completely. In this situation which occurs once in every 3 persons during youth and once in every 4 in the advanced ages, the blood clot may pass from this open division and reach to the brain.
Modern diagnosis and treatment methods ensure success
If any blood clot occurs in the leg of the persons with an unobvious hole in their heart, these clots, which may be too small to be seen by eyes, can pass from this open division with strain or cough and go to the brain. There is no certain proof that this is the reason of the stroke, but when the other reasons are eliminated, if a young person has such a hole in their heart, if any passage is seen between the left and right atrium when it is observed from the alimentary canal, or if there any small traces of previous clots are in brain, which can be seen with magnetic resonance (MR), this open gap is closed. The application is made without opening the chest with any operation, entering from the pelvis by local anaesthesia in a simple way, and the patients are discharged from the hospital on the same day. Patients use blood thinners for the first 6 months and then the medication is given up.
Stating the rhythm disorder is quite important for the patients; repetition of the stroke can be prevented by giving blood thinners to the patients in this case. If another stroke happens, or symptoms of an embolism is seen in the patients who use blood thinners or if the patient cannot take the blood thinners because of the side effects or bleeding, another process is applied. 90% of the blood clots occur in the small area called appendix in the atrium area. In this case, a valve is put on the mouth of the area without an operation only by entering from the pelvis and the blood clot is prevented from passing into the system.
The patients with high blood pressure are also under threat
If the high blood pressure is taken under control with treatment, this means that patients are also protected against the negative effects of high blood pressure. The key point here is the prevention of high blood pressure and taking it under control. High blood pressure is a significant risk factor in case of cardiovascular diseases. Sudden blood pressure rise may cause brain haemorrhage while cracking the vascular system. This may be seen in patients with rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation or high blood pressure and may be resulted with a stroke. These patients should try to control their blood pressure, take the medications their doctors have given regularly, abstain from smoking and gaining weight and have a balanced diet. Exercise is also important.
A regular and continuous cardiac health control is needed after 40 years in men and 50 years in women. If the disease occurs, the frequency of control and the things to be done alter according to the situation of the disease. If there is no disease, the check-up must be had once in every 6 months or 1 year and the blood fats –blood sugar should also be controlled regularly.
Prepared by the Medical Editorial Board. Our health library contents have been prepared for informational purposes only and with the scientific content on the registration date. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis or treatment about your health, please consult your doctor or health institution.
