The Different Strokes Of Stroke

On the 4th March 2019, the actor Luke Perry was reported to have died at the age of 52 after suffering a massive stroke. So what exactly is a massive stroke and is there actually a minor type of stroke? Dr Idayu Maarof explains about stroke and shares her experience of having gone through multiple episodes of stroke when she was in her late 30s.

WHAT IS STROKE?

A stroke is a medical condition that occurs when blood supply to the brain is cut off, either due to blockage (ischaemic stroke) or because the blood vessels within the brain had ruptured (haemorrhagic or bleeding stroke). The lack of blood supply will, of course, have an impact on the functions controlled by the affected part of the brain. If the area affected by the stroke is extensive or small, it leads to a massive or minor stroke, respectively.

Strokes are usually associated with pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and blood vessel (vascular) diseases; congenital conditions or behaviour-induced activities such as smoking. The late Luke Perry was 52 years old when he suffered the fatal stroke; a relatively young age for a stroke. This goes to show that strokes can happen at any age—from as young as children to someone in their 30s and older. Although strokes are often associated with one’s lifestyle, it is also important to know that stroke-causing blood clots, or emboli, can come from different sources.

DR IDAYU ENCOUNTERS STROKE

When I was in my late 30s, I was diagnosed with a stroke. Two weeks after that first diagnosis, I was diagnosed with another stroke. The late 30s is definitely considered a young age for a stroke. However, make no mistakes, strokes do not care about the age of their victims. I also had none of the common risk factors for a stroke. So what could have caused my stroke?