Available online, the “Recovering After a Stroke: A Patient and Family Guide Consumer Guide” by the US Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality published May 1995 is a very handy and useful tool to consult about caring for a loved one who suffered a stroke.
As defined in the guide, “A stroke is a type of brain injury. Symptoms depend on the part of the brain that is affected. People who survive a stroke often have weakness on one side of the body or trouble with moving, talking, or thinking. Most strokes are ischemic (is-KEE-mic) strokes. These are caused by reduced blood flow to the brain when blood vessels are blocked by a clot or become too narrow for blood to get through. Brain cells in the area die from lack of oxygen. In another type of stroke, called hemorrhagic (hem-or-AJ-ic) stroke, the blood vessel isn't blocked; it bursts, and blood leaks into the brain, causing damage.”
