Signs of cerebral ischemia

Ischemia is a form of "starvation" of brain tissue due to the insufficient flow of blood through the vessels. Therefore, the term "coronary vessels" totally unacceptable for diagnosis. The vessel wall itself also falls in conditions of oxygen deficiency, is subjected to metabolic changes, but not this process defines the main pathological transformation.

Ischemic brain disease develops due to lesions of the arteries of the spine (vasculitis, atherosclerosis), carotid, anomalies of the structure of cerebral circulation, violations of hemodynamics in diseases of the heart, anemia.

Signs of impaired brain function detected at the time of compression of the feeding artery spinous processes of the cervical vertebrae on the background of degenerative disc disease, tumor growth.

What determines the symptoms of ischemia

Symptoms in the development of ischemic pathology dependent and are determined by several factors:

• the degree of narrowing of the blood vessels;
• features of circulatory support to replace disrupted blood flow;
• prevalence and localization of the ischemic focus;
• speed of development;
• the rate of metabolism in the cells of the brain centers for stress, nervous and physical strain;
• the presence of congenital malformations of vessels.

There are acute and chronic insufficiency of blood supply to the brain.

Clinical manifestations of acute cerebral ischemia

In neurology accepted symptoms of acute ischemia to combine attacks and stroke. More modern name of vascular crises — transient ischemic attack. They caused short-term disruption of blood circulation (paroxysms). Therefore, all manifestations of the self-restored within 6-10 days.

Typical symptoms are:

• headaches in the occipital, temporal or parietal areas;
• temporary dizziness, feeling of rotation of objects, staggering when walking, inability to maintain balance;
• fainting with the change of consciousness;
• violations of vision (loss of the separate fields of view, the darkening of the eyes, sensation of outbreaks);
• the loss of orientation in the location;
• transient attacks of numbness and weakness in the hands and feet;
• speech disorders;
• sense of pulsation in the head, noise in the ears;
• redness of the face;
• insomnia;
• pain in region of heart, arrhythmia;
• cold and blanching of the hands and feet.

Symptoms vary individually. The simultaneous manifestation of several types of violations.

In violation of the passage of blood in the anterior cerebral artery appear:

• hemiparesis of the opposite side of the body;
• paralysis of one leg;
• increased tone of the flexors;
• stiffness and slownessmovements;
• mental changes (apathy, lethargy, less talkativeness, irritability, anxiety);
• memory disorder;
• incontinence.

For blockage of the posterior cerebral artery is characterized by:

• disturbance of visual perception;
• loss of speech;
• the lack of pain sensitivity in half of the body.

In thrombosis of the middle cerebral artery detected:

• paralysis and loss of sensation of half of the body;
• paresis of gaze;
• speech disorders;
• the loss of the ability to write a good hand;
• the inability to commit certain purposeful movements.

Clinical manifestations of chronic cerebral ischemia

Chronic ischemia of the brain is called a long pathological process that leads to a gradual overlap of the blood flow in the vessels of the head. The most common cause is atherosclerosis. Symptoms occur paroxysmal or permanent nature, are not independently require treatment, as they lead to serious complications such as heart attack of the brain, mental disorders and mental activity.

Patients concerned about:

• frequent headaches;
• noise in the head or ears;
• long-term insomnia;
• dizziness, darkening of the eyes;
• the memory impairment.