Stroke Forum - Mr Gran Died of a Stroke

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What happens during a stroke? What increases your chances of having a stroke? Stroke basics and info on the two types of stroke here....

Q: Mr Gran Died of a Stroke

asked by: ozgirl on April 23rd, 2006

New User

My gran passed away a few months ago from a stroke. It came on so suddenly. The night before it happened gran was doing her usal thing, she was pretty active for her age (80years)- cleaning, cooking, gardening, etc. Gran had an irregular heart beat, high blood pressure and angina. She was taking medication but hadn't been to a cardiologist in a while. We found gran in the early hours of the morning in her bed, her left side was completely paralysed (which means the right side of the brain was affected apparently), and she had erratic movements of her right hand. Gran was frothing at the mouth and had slurred speech. She gradually slipped away from us, on the 6thday in hospital gran passed away. I wanted the docs to do everything they could...I felt they didn't...I heard there was a blood clot busting drug they could have given her...They didn't. I think cos of her age they didn't do everything they could of...I wanted gran to be resuscitated...But they talked us out of it...It was a horrible experience, the docs didn't make it easier...Just wanted to share my experience...Its was a really dark time for us.

Replies(3)

Dr. Nikola

replied on April 18th, 2008

Doctor

Stoke (cerebro-vascular insult) is one of the most deathly conditions. Mortality rate from first stroke is over 90%. Further strokes have mortality rate over 95%. Those who survive are usually disabled for life.
It is true that there are thrombolitic drugs that solve the blood clothes but such drug could help only if stroke was caused by thrombosis of some brain artery (brain infarct). If the stroke is caused by bleeding from some brain artery (intra-cerebral hemorrhage), which is very possible in patients with hypertension, trombolitic therapy will worsen the condition.
I believe that doctors did whatever they could in order to help your granny but death was inevitable.

antigone

replied on April 19th, 2008

Extremely eHealthy

The thrombolitic drugs must be administered within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms. Your family found your gran after the stroke had happened. That factor alone would have made her ineligible for the antithrombolitic,There is a 40% chance the clot busting drug will cause a bleed in the brain and the risk increases with age. Age is a big factor in determining the use of a antithrombolitic. There are 12 areas of criteria the patient must meet to be given the clot busting drug. If the patient is not within the time frame or does not meet other criteria the drug will not be used. The risk out weighs the benefit with some patients. I have seen the drug cause bleeds in patients and the outcome from the hemorrhage in the brain was poor.

I agree with Dr. Nikola. I think the doctors did all they could for your gran. Survival and meaningful recovery after a severe stroke is less than 10%. I am sorry for your loss.

oc1dean

replied on November 28th, 2008

New User

tPA also does not work all the time. I received it within an hourand still ended up completely paralyzed on the left side.
Dean

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