Unfortunately, most people don't actually find out they've suffered from a silent stroke until they see a doctor for another condition and are ordered to have an MRI or a CT scan. At that point, their doctor may notice small areas of damage in the brain indicating a silent stroke.
Computerized tomography (CT) scan – CT scans use a series of X-rays to create a detailed image of your brain. A CT scan can show a hemorrhage, tumor, stroke and other conditions. There are different types of CT scans that your doctor may use depending on your situation.
Detecting a Silent Stroke
If you have a silent stroke, you probably won't know it unless you happen to have a brain scan and the damage shows up. You may have slight memory problems or a little difficulty getting around. A doctor may be able to see signs of silent strokes without testing.
Unlike a CT scan, which takes several hours to reveal any blockages of blood flow, an MRI can uncover any brain damage within an hour of the onset of the stroke symptoms.
The only way to tell the difference between a ministroke and a stroke is by having a doctor look at an image of your brain with either a CT scan or an MRI scan. If you've had an ischemic stroke, it's likely that it won't show up on a CT scan of your brain for 24 to 48 hours. An MRI scan usually shows a stroke sooner.
How Does a Stroke Impact Life Expectancy? Despite the likelihood of making a full recovery, life expectancy after stroke incidents can decrease. Unfortunately, researchers have observed a wide range of life expectancy changes in stroke patients, but the average reduction in lifespan is nine and a half years.
Even if a major stroke is avoided, repeated mini strokes can have a cumulative negative effect on one's brain health and cognitive function. In severe cases, vascular dementia may result from untreated cerebrovascular events.
Usually, a silent stroke is discovered unexpectedly on a brain CT or brain MRI. These imaging tests can easily distinguish past strokes from recent strokes.
Blood tests for stroke. There is no blood test that can diagnose a stroke. However, in the hospital, your doctor or nurse may do a series of blood tests to learn the cause of your stroke symptoms: Complete blood count (CBC).
Even after surviving a stroke, you're not out of the woods, since having one makes it a lot more likely that you'll have another. In fact, of the 795,000 Americans who will have a first stroke this year, 23 percent will suffer a second stroke. What can stroke patients do to avoid a recurrence?
In addition to the classic stroke symptoms associated with the FAST acronym, around 7-65% of people undergoing a stroke will experience some form of a headache. People describe a stroke-related headache as a very severe headache that comes on within seconds or minutes.
One of the most common stroke mimics is a seizure, which researchers believe account for as many as 20% of all stroke mimics. Other common stroke mimics include migraines, syncope, sepsis, brain tumor and metabolic derangement (low sodium or low blood sugar).
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
An MRI can detect brain tissue damaged by an ischemic stroke and brain hemorrhages. Your doctor may inject a dye into a blood vessel to view the arteries and veins and highlight blood flow (magnetic resonance angiography or magnetic resonance venography).
It's important to note that CT scans are not always the final word on whether a stroke has taken place. Strokes may not be seen on a CT scan for several reasons. It can sometimes take several hours for the brain to appear abnormal after the onset of stroke.
This meta-analysis of 11 816 strokes provides strong evidence that the onset of stroke symptoms has a circadian variation, with a higher risk in the early morning hours (6 am to noon), and lower risk during the nighttime period (midnight to 6 am).
Once you suffer from a silent stroke, your chances of suffering from more strokes in the future increase. The damage caused to the brain can result in significant cognitive decline or even death. It may also lead to vascular dementia.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.
smoking. high blood pressure (hypertension) obesity. high cholesterol levels.
Brain cells begin to die when they are deprived of oxygen and glucose. Permanent brain damage or death is possible if a stroke is not caught early.
Recovery time after a stroke is different for everyone—it can take weeks, months, or even years. Some people recover fully, but others have long-term or lifelong disabilities.
We showed that even 20 years following stroke in adults aged 18 through 50 years, patients remain at a significantly higher risk of death compared with the general population.
A stroke happens when blood flow to your brain is stopped. It is an emergency situation. It can be caused by a narrowed blood vessel, bleeding, or a clot that blocks blood flow.
You get stroke symptoms because a clot is blocking the blood supply in your brain. When the clot moves away, the stroke symptoms stop. You might feel like you're fine afterwards, but it's vital to get medical help right away.