Heart disease is a risk factor for stroke just like it is a risk factor for coronary heart diseases. The reason is that both diseases share risk factors such as high blood pressure, overweight, obesity, diabetes, low or high cholesterol levels. Individuals suffering from heart disease or have been through a heart attack have double risk of getting a stroke than those who never have.
How Heart Disease Increases the Risk for Stroke
These types of heart diseases have close association likely to cause a stroke because of close interaction between the heart and the way blood flows to the brain.
- Heart failure
Heart failure is a description of inefficient function or weakness of the blood pumping organ. It increases the chances of getting a stroke by two to three times. One explanation is that the body responds to inadequate oxygen supply by Nursing Essay Writing Servicesmaking the heart to perform compensatory work. The body attempted compensation is to release several hormones that increase the chances of a `blood clot which is a risk factor for stroke.
Another explanation is that the body compensates for heart failure by changing blood pressure in some ways that may cause a stroke. Heart failure Nursing Writing Servicecould also make the heart to form blood clots that travel to the brain or carotid arteries. These clots interrupt the supply of blood to the brain, and this is a leading cause of stroke.
Finally, the biological processes that result in heart failure can also cause an infection on the blood vessels leading to the formation of a blood clot and eventually a stroke.
- Heart Attack
A heart attack is the death of heart muscle due to lack of enough blood supply. The symptoms are a pain, chest pressure and sharp shortness of breath. Depending on the position of damage, the injury after a heart attack can cause a malfunction of the region. Heart attack damage on the heart muscle may cause failure of the entire organ. Major heart attacks might prevent adequate levels of blood from reaching the brain thus causing a simultaneous stroke. Stroke is a long-term risk after heart attacks hence appropriate health care is necessary to prevent stroke. It includes maintenance of recommended blood pressure and healthy cholesterol.
- Heart valve attack
You find heart valves in heart chambers and blood vessels. Their role is to maintain blood flow in the proper direction when it is flowing into, within and from the heart. A defect in the heart valve can cause serious consequences. It could make the blood to backflow or leak to the wrong direction thus causing blood clots. It could also allow blood, cholesterol or other materials to stick and form growths. If these growths occur on the valves, they will break off at some point and ultimately reach the brain. Growth in the brain will block the small blood vessels, interrupt the flow of blood and cause ischemic strokes.
- Heart infections and inflammations
Heart infection is uncommon, but they increase chances of getting a hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke. Infections and inflammation of the heart increase the risk of endocarditis a condition occurring when blood carries germs from other body parts to a damaged area of the heart. Damaged or artificial heart valves increase the risk endocarditis. Close care is necessary for management of endocarditis, and sometimes a surgical intervention could be required.
The risk of a stroke is higher within the first year of getting a heart attack especially the first month. Close monitoring is essential at this time. After 12 months, only the risk of ischemic stroke stays high.