Table of contents:
- How does cerebrovascular disease cause stroke?
- What are the consequences of cerebrovascular disease?
- What are the triggers for cerebrovascular disease?
- How do doctors diagnose cerebrovascular disease?
Cerebrovascular disease is a disease of the blood vessels in the brain, especially the arteries of the brain. Arteries in the brain deliver blood that supplies essential nutrients and oxygen to brain tissue. Cerebrovascular disease occurs from time to time because the blood vessels in the brain are susceptible to damage caused by hypertension or intermittent high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, hereditary vascular disease, or smoking.
Injury to the inner lining of blood vessels causes them to become narrow, stiff, and sometimes irregular in shape. Often unhealthy blood vessels are described as having atherosclerosis, which is hardening of the inner lining, usually associated with increased cholesterol.
How does cerebrovascular disease cause stroke?
Blood vessels in the brain that have developed cerebrovascular disease are prone to blood clots. Blood clots begin to form in the arteries when the arteries become narrowed or deformed. A blood clot that grows inside a blood vessel is called a thrombus. A thrombus that travels through a blood vessel to another location of the body is called an embolus. A thrombus or embolus can become trapped in a narrow blood vessel in the brain, especially one that has been damaged by cerebrovascular disease, causing a disruption in blood supply called ischemia. Abnormalities due to cerebrovascular disease also cause blood vessels to tear more easily, increasing the risk of bleeding.
In strokes caused by bleeding tissue damage, brain tissue damage due to bleeding is the same as brain tissue damage due to ischemia, both of which occur simultaneously.
When cerebrovascular disease develops, it causes heart disease and vascular disease to appear in the body as well. The causes of cerebrovascular disease are similar to those of other vascular diseases. Some people are more prone to vascular disease.
There are several genetic conditions that cause cerebrovascular disease to affect blood vessels in other parts of the body.
What are the consequences of cerebrovascular disease?
The presence of cerebrovascular disease can cause mild strokes over time. Because the brain has the ability to compensate for multiple injuries, many people suffer minor strokes and experience no symptoms because areas of brain tissue are not affected. Often times, people who have had minor strokes caused by cerebrovascular disease are shocked when they are told that an MRI or CT scan of the brain shows evidence of a previous stroke. In this situation, the CT scan or MRI report will mention “small vessel disease,” “lacunar strokes” or “white matter disease.” These findings suggest that there is an area affected by stroke but not causing obvious symptoms. Over time, if several minor strokes occur, a critical threshold can be reached. At this point, symptoms can suddenly become apparent if the brain's compensatory abilities are overwhelmed.
Cerebrovascular disease can worsen the symptoms of dementia, aka dementia. Some people with ongoing cerebrovascular disease do not show stereotypical symptoms such as tiredness, difficulty speaking, or loss of vision, but do show symptoms of dementia. This is due to the brain's difficulty integrating thoughts and memories as a result of various minor strokes over time.
What are the triggers for cerebrovascular disease?
Long-term cerebrovascular disease can cause sudden strokes. A thrombus causes a blood clot to flow from the heart or carotid artery to the brain which is a common trigger. A possible trigger is sudden, extreme hypertension. Another trigger that can cause cerebrovascular disease and then a sudden stroke, namely blood vessel spasm or spasm of the blood vessels, occurs due to drugs or sudden changes in blood pressure.
How do doctors diagnose cerebrovascular disease?
There is usually no screening test for cerebrovascular disease, although sometimes signs can be detected in brain studies. The absence of cerebrovascular disease as indicated by CT or MRI is not necessarily accurate. Monitor the risk factors for worsening cerebrovascular disease progression. Some cerebrovascular diseases can at least be reduced by lowering cholesterol, controlling blood pressure and diabetes, and quitting smoking.
