Cerebrovascular disorder
Cerebrovascular disorder
Cerebrovascular disorder (pronunciation: /ˌsɛrɪbroʊˈvæskjʊlər dɪsˈɔːrdər/) is a group of conditions, diseases, and disorders that affect the blood vessels and blood supply to the brain.
Etymology
The term "cerebrovascular" comes from the Latin words 'cerebrum' meaning brain and 'vasculum' meaning little vessel.
Types of Cerebrovascular Disorders
There are several types of cerebrovascular disorders, including:
- Stroke: A condition that occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off.
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): Often called a mini-stroke, it's caused by a temporary disruption in the blood supply to part of the brain.
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A condition where there is bleeding in the space surrounding the brain.
- Vascular Dementia: A general term describing problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory and other thought processes caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to your brain.
Symptoms
Symptoms of cerebrovascular disorders can vary depending on the specific type of disorder, but may include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Causes
Cerebrovascular disorders are often caused by conditions that affect the blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes.
Treatment
Treatment for cerebrovascular disorders depends on the specific type of disorder, but may include medication, lifestyle changes, or surgery.
See also
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