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Log in Sign up. Articles Cases Courses Quiz. About Recent Edits Go ad-free. Age, vascular risk factors, high nocturnal blood pressure, and severity of cerebral small-vessel disease at onset have significant prognostic implications for almost all outcomes.
More studies on mechanisms, prevention, and treatment are needed to provide specific guidance on the long-term management of patients with lacunar infarcts. Signs of lacunar stroke can include:. As brains cells die, functions controlled by that area of the brain are affected. These symptoms can vary depending on the location of the stroke. Lacunar stroke is caused by lack of blood flow in smaller arteries that supply deep brain structures. The most important risk factor for the development of lacunar stroke is chronic high blood pressure.
The condition can cause the arteries to narrow. This makes it easier for cholesterol plaques or blood clots to block blood flow to the deep brain tissues. Risk of lacunar stroke increases with age.
Those at risk include people with chronic high blood pressure , heart disorders, or diabetes. African-Americans, Hispanics, and people with a family history of stroke are also at a higher risk than other groups. Your doctor may take your blood pressure and ask about your symptoms.
A detailed neurological exam will be used to see if there is any damage to the parts of the brain that control your bodily functions. If your symptoms are consistent with stroke, immediate diagnostic testing will likely include a CT scan or a MRI scan to take detailed images of your brain.
A Doppler ultrasound may also be used. This will measure the amount of blood flowing through your arteries and veins. Heart function tests, such as electrocardiogram and echocardiogram may be ordered.
Kidney and liver function testing and various blood tests may also be administered. If you have a lacunar stroke, early treatment increases your chance of survival and may prevent further damage. This reduces your risk of having another stroke. Supportive measures may be needed to assist your breathing and heart function.
You may receive intravenous clot-busting drugs. In extreme circumstances a doctor can deliver medications directly into the brain. High blood pressure also can cause atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty deposits plaques build up along the walls of blood vessels.
When atherosclerosis is present, a clot can form inside of one of these small arteries, blocking blood flow in the artery. To continue reading this article, you must log in. Already a member? Login ». As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
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