Lacunar stroke is caused by lack of blood flow in smaller arteries that supply deep brain structures. The most important risk factor for the development of lacunar stroke is chronic high blood pressure.
The condition can cause the arteries to narrow. This makes it easier for cholesterol plaques or blood clots to block blood flow to the deep brain tissues.
Risk of lacunar stroke increases with age. Those at risk include people with chronic high blood pressure , heart disorders, or diabetes. African-Americans, Hispanics, and people with a family history of stroke are also at a higher risk than other groups. Your doctor may take your blood pressure and ask about your symptoms. A detailed neurological exam will be used to see if there is any damage to the parts of the brain that control your bodily functions.
If your symptoms are consistent with stroke, immediate diagnostic testing will likely include a CT scan or a MRI scan to take detailed images of your brain. A Doppler ultrasound may also be used. This will measure the amount of blood flowing through your arteries and veins. Heart function tests, such as electrocardiogram and echocardiogram may be ordered. Kidney and liver function testing and various blood tests may also be administered.
If you have a lacunar stroke, early treatment increases your chance of survival and may prevent further damage.
This reduces your risk of having another stroke. Supportive measures may be needed to assist your breathing and heart function. You may receive intravenous clot-busting drugs. In extreme circumstances a doctor can deliver medications directly into the brain.
Lacunar stroke can result in some brain damage. Depending how badly the underlying structures are damaged, you may not be able to care for yourself following a stroke. Recovery varies for each person and depends on the severity of the stroke. Some people who experience a lacunar stroke transition from the hospital to a rehabilitation center or nursing home, at least for a short period of time.
Because of brain damage, stroke patients often have to relearn skills and regain their strength. This can take weeks, months, or years. Most people who experience a stroke require long-term treatment. This can include medication to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. After a lacunar stroke, some people also require:. Quality of life after lacunar stroke depends on many factors, including age and how quickly treatment began after symptoms started.
For some patients, disabilities are permanent. Risk-factor modification is likely to play a large part in therapeutic interventions targeted at this stroke subtype. Abstract Lacunar infarcts, small deep infarcts that result from occlusion of a penetrating artery, account for about a quarter of all ischaemic strokes.
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