Cerebral Vascular Disease
Cerebral vascular disease refers to the brain abnormalities caused by diseases of the blood vessels that supply the brain. The most important cause of a cerebral vascular disease is hypertension. Due to hypertension, blood vessels deform, they become narrow and uneven which makes them vulnerable when the blood pressure fluctuates. Other risk factors are obesity, diabetes and smoking. A cerebral vascular disease increases the risk of suffering a stroke, especially in older people even though it can occur with younger patients as well, especially if they have a history of diabetes, heart disease and they smoke. However, strokes are not common in patients younger than 40 years old but the risks increase exponentially with the age.
The stroke is the result of a cerebrovascular condition and it occurs when a blood vessel within the brain is completely blocked or when these blood vessels rupture. Usually the blockage is caused by a blood clot in the cerebral arteries (also known as thrombosis). It may also be due to a an embolism, which means that the blood clot was caused by a piece of tissue, cholesterol or other several substances in the blood. When a thrombosis or an embolism occurs, the blood supply to the brain may be completely blocked or it can lead to blood vessels ruptures that will bleed into the brain. Both of these situations may result in a stroke. An embolism can cause a transient ischemic attack (or a TIA) because it blocks the small arteries in the brain which will cause losing the brain function in the specific area. After the blockage moves on and the blood flows again, the affected area of the brain will regain its functions. Dementia may be a result of a cerebrovascular disease due to the progressive destruction of brain tissue caused by repeated blockages of the arteries.
This ailment’s treatment may consist in medication, surgical procedures or non surgical procedures. The drugs administrated to patients with a cerebral vascular disease are normally platelet inhibitors like Aspirin, Dipyridamole, Ticlopidine, Clopidogrel or Sulfinpyrazone. A surgical procedure called Carotid Endarterectomy is used to enable the blood flow by removing the plaque from the carotid artery. Carotid Angioplasty is a non surgical procedure that involves inserting a balloon tipped catheter into the artery and when the balloon is inflated it will press against the plaque, reopening the artery. In this procedure it is used a stent, a slender metal mesh tube which will prevent the artery to rupture or to close up after the main procedure is completed.
Patients at risk of developing this type of brain condition can prevent having a stroke by quitting smoking, practicing physical activities on a regular basis, following a healthy diet low in saturated fat and avoiding obesity.
The cerebral vascular disease is a serious medical condition which can be fatal but it can be prevented by controlling the blood pressure and hypertension on a regular basis, as well as avoiding stress.