A stroke always occurs because of an interruption of blood flow to the brain. But a number of different underlying factors add to the risk of stroke, including recent surgery, long periods of immobility, a family history of blood clots, pregnancy and use of birth control pills.
Though most oral contraceptives can increase the risk of the blood clots that frequently cause a stroke, a number of studies indicate those containing the compound drospirenone carry up to three times the risk compared to other birth control pills on the market. Pills with drospirenone include Yasmin, Yaz, Beyaz and Ocella.
Similarly, the complications from a stroke can vary greatly as well.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a stroke can sometimes cause temporary or permanent disabilities, depending on how long the brain suffers a lack of blood flow and which part was affected. Complications may include the following.
- Paralysis or loss of muscle movement: Sometimes the lack of blood flow to the brain can cause patients to become paralyzed on one side of the body, or lose control of certain muscles such as those on one side of the face. With physical therapy, they may see improvement.
- Difficulty talking or swallowing: A stroke may cause a patient to have less control over the way the muscles in the mouth and throat move, making it difficult to talk, swallow or eat. Stroke can also cause aphasia, a condition characterized by difficulty expressing thoughts through language. Therapy with a speech and language pathologist may help.
- Memory loss or trouble with understanding: Memory loss frequently follows stroke. Other patients may develop difficulty making judgments, reasoning and understanding concepts. These complications may improve with rehabilitation therapies.
- Pain: Some people who have undergone a stroke may have pain, numbness or other strange sensations in affected parts of their bodies. For example, a stroke that causes loss of feeling in the left arm may also cause an uncomfortable tingling sensation in that limb. Patients may also be sensitive to temperature changes, especially extreme cold. This complication is called central stroke pain or central pain syndrome (CPS). It generally develops several weeks after a stroke, and may improve as more time passes. But because the pain is caused by a problem in the brain instead of a physical injury, there are few medications to treat CPS.
- Changes in behavior and self-care: People who have a stroke may become more withdrawn and less social or more impulsive. They may also lose the ability to care for themselves and need a caretaker to help them with their grooming needs and daily chores.
As with any brain injury, the success of treating these complications will vary from person to person.
Patients should consult their doctors before making any changes in their medication. A consultation with a Beyaz lawyer is also important if there are significant injuries.
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