Q. What are cerebrovascular accidents?

The Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), as well known as stroke, is the generic name given to infarction (tissue and cellular death by hypoxia) of areas of the brain due to vascular obstruction or hemorrhages. CVAs are divided into ischemic and hemorrhagic and In the ischemic CVA blocking of arteries that carry blood to the brain occurs; its cause is generally atherosclerosis (atheroma formation) of these vessels.

In a hemorrhagic CVA there is rupture of one or more blood vessels of the brain with blood leakage, increasing intracranial pressure and thus interruption of blood flow in some areas of the brain and a severity of the stroke depends on the function performed by the affected area of the brain, for instance, visual function, motor function, vegetative function, etc., and on the size of the involved area.

The major risk factors for cerebrovascular accidents are hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, tobacco smoking and old age.