The most severe strokes can leave a person unable to respond, or in a sleep-like state. This is sometimes called unconsciousness or coma, and it means that important parts of the brain are not working well. Coma is a worrying sign, as it may mean that the stroke is severe enough that the person may not survive.
The severity of the stroke is determined by how much damage is done and where in the brain the stroke occurs. While some people do recover completely, over 75 percent of stroke victims will have some kind of lasting disability.
A hemorrhagic stroke happens when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures (breaks open). The leaked blood puts too much pressure on brain cells, which damages them.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is cut off. Brain cells that don't receive oxygen die, which impacts your ability to function normally. A "massive" stroke simply means that a large portion of your brain was denied blood, according to Healthline.
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.
What is a massive stroke? Many doctors will refer to a stroke as massive based upon the outcome of the victim after an attack. A massive stroke commonly refers to strokes (any type) that result in death, long-term paralysis, or coma.
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.
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.
Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke. One study found that 43% of stroke patients experienced mini-stroke symptoms up to a week before they had a major stroke.
When a stroke patient reaches stage 4, they have already regained some motor control. Throughout this stage, voluntary movement will go from difficult to easy. Although there is still some involuntary movement and spasticity (tightness of the muscles), they have greatly diminished since the beginning of the recovery.
This pattern is detailed in Brunnstrom's seven stages of stroke recovery. The stages include flaccidity, spasticity appears, spasticity increases, spasticity decreases, complex movement combinations, spasticity disappears, and normal function returns.
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.
Because the cause of a stroke and the amount of damage it causes in the brain vary widely, there's no “typical” duration of a stroke. Some strokes last for a few minutes while others continue for hours or even days.
Long-Term Mortality Rate Study, Ages 18–50
The majority of the 959 patients studied suffered from ischemic stroke. The study found that, among 30-day survivors, the risk of death by the twentieth year mark was highest for ischemic stroke patients, at 26.8 percent, with TIA sufferers close behind at 24.9 percent.
HS are considered to have a higher mortality risk than IS. Previous studies have linked the excess mortality to the generally more severe strokes in patients with HS, whereas stroke type per se was not considered to be associated with mortality.
Heart attacks are more likely after a stroke, as they are linked to many of the same risk factors and health problems. Seizures after a stroke. These are also linked with a greater chance of death and more serious disability.
Stroke can be divided into 2 main types, which are ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Patients who suffer ischemic strokes have a tendency of better chance for survival than those who experience hemorrhagic strokes, as hemorrhagic stroke not only damages brain cells but also may lead to increased pressure on the brain.
Overall, the general prognosis of ischemic stroke is considered better than that of hemorrhagic stroke, in which death occurs especially in the acute and subacute phases [2,3].
High blood pressure (hypertension) is the biggest risk factor for stroke. High blood pressure can lead to blocked arteries. It can also make them weaker, causing them to break which can cause a stroke. Normal blood pressure is around 120/80.
Level 3 stroke centers are appropriate for a patient when a Level 1 or 2 stroke center is more than two hours away from the patient's location. Level 2 centers should help Level 3 centers identify suspected or confirmed ELVO patients and facilitate rapid transfer as part of a “hub and spoke” model of care.
Call 911 or emergency medical services if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or greater and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of stroke. Stroke symptoms include numbness or tingling, trouble speaking, or changes in vision.
The warning signs of stroke include: Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, usually on one side of the body. Trouble speaking or understanding. Problems with vision, such as dimness or loss of vision in one or both eyes.