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RECOVERY FROM SEVER STROKE THAT HAS LEFT AN ELDERLY UNCONSCIOUS, PLEASE SUGGEST
Hi i am 22 female here, my elderly grandmother has had her third and most severe stoke and has been unconscious since. For about a week now she has been unconscious, she seems to have some psychical movement and mutters some words but the doctors and nurses say it is not a good sign that she has still not woken up. They say eventually she may starve and weaken because she is only supplied food through the liquid food attached to her and it is unhealthy to stay bed ridden for too long. Can somebody please give me a better idea on what may be wrong and how exactly a stroke works and what are the chances of her waking up considering she has some psychical movement and at times opens her eyes and just stares into the distance. Is it possible for the brain to reconstruct its self somehow?
Thu, 22 Sep 2011
Hi!! Welcome to healthcaremagic forum..
Strokes are of 2 types - Ischemic stroke where there is obstruction to the blood flow secondary to either narrowing of blood vessels or dislodged clot obstructing the blood follow. The other form of stroke is bleeding. Symptoms of stroke depends on the area and extent of brain affected by stroke... In this sense, stroke causing unconsciousness indicates a larger/important area of the brain has been affected..
Though stroke affected brain doesn't recover, clinical symptoms will improve gradually. On the contrary, other areas of the brain can also get affected due to edema and pressure effects or fresh stroke development. This can lead to worsening of the condition. Such events are common during the initial few days following a stroke. They are not so common after a week.
Apart from the risks of other areas of brain getting affected, an unconscious/bed ridden individuals have a higher risk of developing bed sores and infections which add to the morbidity.
The progress of the illness is monitored closely through a set of parameters - Glassglow coma scale, heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory activity... The extent of recovery depends on the right choice of treatment and later the physiotherapy.
It's isn't an easy task to predict the chances of recovery from this far. The doctors treating her too may face the same difficulty predicting the chances of recovery.
A positive approach, right treatment and active physiotherapy are the factors enhancing recovery..
My prayers and wishes to your grandmother...
Regards
Strokes are of 2 types - Ischemic stroke where there is obstruction to the blood flow secondary to either narrowing of blood vessels or dislodged clot obstructing the blood follow. The other form of stroke is bleeding. Symptoms of stroke depends on the area and extent of brain affected by stroke... In this sense, stroke causing unconsciousness indicates a larger/important area of the brain has been affected..
Though stroke affected brain doesn't recover, clinical symptoms will improve gradually. On the contrary, other areas of the brain can also get affected due to edema and pressure effects or fresh stroke development. This can lead to worsening of the condition. Such events are common during the initial few days following a stroke. They are not so common after a week.
Apart from the risks of other areas of brain getting affected, an unconscious/bed ridden individuals have a higher risk of developing bed sores and infections which add to the morbidity.
The progress of the illness is monitored closely through a set of parameters - Glassglow coma scale, heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory activity... The extent of recovery depends on the right choice of treatment and later the physiotherapy.
It's isn't an easy task to predict the chances of recovery from this far. The doctors treating her too may face the same difficulty predicting the chances of recovery.
A positive approach, right treatment and active physiotherapy are the factors enhancing recovery..
My prayers and wishes to your grandmother...
Regards
I find this answer helpful
Hi well come to HCM.
Its very difficult to predict prognosis only on the descriptions of her general conditions.
It is very important to go through the MRI or CT brain report to judge cause of stroke
and extent of brain damage and pressure on surrounding structure due to cerebral
oedema.Pts can be aroused even after one month of unconscious ness if vitals are
maintained and area of brain damage is safe and not very extensive. Stroke could be due
to any thing like embolism,thrombosis or cerbral haemorrhage. Thanks and take care
Its very difficult to predict prognosis only on the descriptions of her general conditions.
It is very important to go through the MRI or CT brain report to judge cause of stroke
and extent of brain damage and pressure on surrounding structure due to cerebral
oedema.Pts can be aroused even after one month of unconscious ness if vitals are
maintained and area of brain damage is safe and not very extensive. Stroke could be due
to any thing like embolism,thrombosis or cerbral haemorrhage. Thanks and take care
I find this answer helpful
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