Stroke: A Comprehensive Guide to "Brain Attacks"

Ian W. Toal is a registered nurse in Barrie, Ontario.

A stroke is basically an interruption of blood flow to an area of the
brain that lasts long enough for brain cells to die. The cause can be a
blocked blood vessel or a blood vessel that has ruptured and bled into
the brain. There are usually some physical or emotional deficits/changes
that result from the lack of that particular packet of nerve cells.
Although there is no cure for a stroke, there are steps people can take
to limit their risk for stroke, as well as treatments that can limit the
extent of the brain damage. Rehabilitation and learning to live with the
effects of a stroke also have a significant impact on how intrusive the
stroke may be in day-to-day life.

Like its predecessors in the Canadian Medical Association’s Your
Personal Health series, Stroke is aimed at the layperson. The material
is presented in a straightforward way, chapters are comprehensive and
deal with the most important information, and the layout is uncluttered.
A glossary, an index, and a list of resources round out this excellent
book, which is recommended for anyone needing information about strokes.