Apoplexy, now called stroke, refers to sudden brain injury from a blocked (ischemic) or burst (hemorrhagic) blood vessel. Risk factors include hypertension, atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, diabetes and smoking. Symptoms typically start suddenly and include one-sided weakness, speech difficulty, vision loss and imbalance; a severe headache suggests hemorrhage. Call emergency services immediately, protect the airway, do not give food or drink, and note time of onset. Hospital care uses rapid imaging to guide treatments such as thrombolysis or thrombectomy for ischemia, and blood-pressure control, anticoagulation reversal or surgery for hemorrhage. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation and secondary prevention reduce long-term disability and recurrence risk.

What is apoplexy (stroke)?

"Apoplexy" is an older term for what medicine now calls a stroke: a sudden loss of brain function caused by a vascular event. Strokes fall into two main types. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked (thrombosis or embolism). Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a cerebral blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into or around the brain.

How the brain is affected

A blocked vessel cuts off blood flow to the tissue it supplies, causing cell injury and death unless blood flow is rapidly restored. A bleed not only damages tissue locally but can raise intracranial pressure, compress other parts of the brain, and cause mass effect or herniation.

Common risk and precipitating factors

Major predisposing conditions include hypertension, atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation and other cardiac sources of emboli, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and advancing age. Cerebral aneurysms and cerebral amyloid angiopathy are recognized causes of some hemorrhagic strokes. Straining, heavy exertion, severe coughing, or abrupt increases in blood pressure can precede a hemorrhage, but they are usually triggers on top of an underlying vulnerability.

Typical signs and how they vary

Onset is typically sudden. Warning signs include:

  • One-sided weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or leg
  • Slurred or confused speech, trouble understanding
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
  • Sudden loss of balance or coordination
  • A severe, sudden headache (more common with hemorrhage)
Some events are transient (transient ischemic attacks) and resolve, but they signal high risk of a future stroke.

Immediate actions and emergency care

Call emergency services immediately and note the time symptoms began. Early hospital assessment determines eligibility for acute treatments.

At the scene:

  • Keep the person safe and still. Do not give food, drink, or medications.
  • If the person is vomiting or has reduced consciousness, place them on their side (recovery position) to protect the airway. Remove dentures if they interfere with breathing.
  • Monitor breathing and circulation; perform CPR only if there is no pulse and no breathing.
In hospital, clinicians use rapid imaging to distinguish ischemic from hemorrhagic stroke. Treatments may include intravenous thrombolysis (for eligible ischemic strokes), endovascular thrombectomy for selected large-vessel occlusions, blood-pressure control and reversal of anticoagulation for hemorrhage, and neurosurgical procedures when indicated.

Recovery and prevention

After the immediate crisis, multidisciplinary rehabilitation - physical, occupational, and speech therapy - aims to restore function and prevent complications such as contractures. Secondary prevention focuses on blood-pressure control, antiplatelet agents or anticoagulation when indicated (for example, atrial fibrillation), statin therapy, diabetes management, smoking cessation, and lifestyle changes.

Outcomes vary from full recovery to lasting disability, depending on the size and location of the stroke and how quickly treatment began.

FAQs about Apoplexy

Is apoplexy the same as a stroke?
Yes. Apoplexy is an older term. Modern medicine uses the term stroke to describe sudden brain dysfunction from either ischemia (blockage) or hemorrhage (bleeding).
What should I do if I suspect someone is having a stroke?
Call emergency services immediately. Note the time symptoms began. Keep the person safe and still, do not give food or drink, and place them on their side if they vomit or have reduced consciousness to protect the airway.
What are transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)?
TIAs are brief episodes of stroke-like symptoms that resolve completely. They are warnings of increased risk for a future stroke and require urgent medical evaluation and prevention.
What acute treatments are available for stroke?
For ischemic stroke, eligible patients may receive intravenous thrombolysis and/or endovascular thrombectomy. For hemorrhagic stroke, management focuses on blood-pressure control, reversal of anticoagulants when appropriate, and neurosurgical options when needed.
How can I reduce my long-term risk of stroke?
Control blood pressure, manage diabetes and lipids, treat atrial fibrillation when present, stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight and exercise, and follow medical advice on antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy when indicated.

News about Apoplexy

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Long-term pituitary function following transsphenoidal surgery for non-functional pituitary neuroendocrine tumor with apoplexy: a single-center retrospective analysis - Nature [Visit Site | Read More]

Pituitary Apoplexy Following Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Therapy: A Rare and Life-Threatening Complication - Cureus [Visit Site | Read More]

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Pituitary Apoplexy as a Mimicker of Infectious Meningitis in an Adolescent Female Patient - ACP Journals [Visit Site | Read More]

Multidisciplinary Management of Pituitary Apoplexy - Albani - 2016 - International Journal of Endocrinology - Wiley Online Library [Visit Site | Read More]

Trump confirms Trump not dead, despite liberal apoplexy - The Hill [Visit Site | Read More]