stroke (redirected from vertical stroke)

stroke, destruction of brain tissue as a result of intracerebral hemorrhage or infarction caused by thrombosis (clotting) or embolus (obstruction in a blood vessel caused by clotted blood or other foreign matter circulating in the bloodstream); formerly called apoplexy. Cerebral hemorrhage or thrombosis occurs most often in elderly persons with constricted arteries (see arteriosclerosis), although either may also be caused by inflammatory or toxic damage to the cerebral blood vessels. Cerebral embolism may occur at any age, even in children.

Symptoms of stroke develop suddenly. In cases of severe brain damage there may be deep coma, paralysis of one side of the body, and loss of speech, followed by death or permanent neurological disturbances after recovery. If the brain damage sustained has been slight, there is usually complete recovery, but most survivors of stroke require extensive rehabilitation. Hypertension, which is a major cause of intracranial hemorrhage and stroke, can be treated by preventive measures using diet (e.g., increasing nutrients such as antioxidants and folate), drug therapy, and stress reduction techniques. Other preventive measures for people at high risk include daily aspirin to retard clot formation and surgical correction of the narrowed carotid artery. Sometimes surgical removal of the clot is possible on larger vessels, but it is usually pointless after the stroke or when blockage is widespread. The thrombolytic drug tissue plasminogen activator, widely used to treat heart attacks, has been approved for use within three hours of the onset of strokes caused by clots.

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stroke

 or cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Sudden impairment of brain function due to hypoxia, which may cause death of brain tissue. Hypertension, atherosclerosis, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, old age, atrial fibrillation, and genetic defects are risk factors. Strokes due to thrombosis (the most common cause), embolism, or arterial spasm, which cause ischemia (reduced blood supply), must be distinguished from those due to hemorrhage (bleeding), which are usually severe and often fatal. Depending on its site in the brain, a stroke's effects may include aphasia, ataxia, local paralysis, and/or disorders of one or more senses. A massive stroke can produce one-sided paralysis, inability to speak, coma, or death within hours or days. Anticoagulants can arrest strokes caused by clots but worsen those caused by bleeding. If the cause is closure of the major artery to the brain, surgery may clear or bypass the obstruction. Rehabilitation and speech therapy should begin within two days to retain and restore as much function as possible, since survivors may live many more years. Transient ischemic attacks (“mini strokes”), with short-term loss of function, result from blockage of blood flow to small areas. They tend to recur and may worsen, leading to multi-infarct dementia or stroke.

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stroke

(1) In printing, the weight, or thickness, of a character. For example, in the LaserJet, one of the specifications of the font description is the stroke weight from lightest to boldest. See stroke weight.

(2) In computer graphics, a pen or brush stroke. The stroke function lets you set the width of the line being drawn.

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stroke

1. Pathol apoplexy; rupture of a blood vessel in the brain resulting in loss of consciousness, often followed by paralysis, or embolism or thrombosis affecting a cerebral vessel

2. a pulsation, esp of the heart

3. Sport the act or manner of striking the ball with a racket, club, bat, etc.

4. any one of the repeated movements used by a swimmer to propel himself through the water

5. a manner of swimming, esp one of several named styles such as the crawl or butterfly

6. 

a. any one of a series of linear movements of a reciprocating part, such as a piston

b. the distance travelled by such a part from one end of its movement to the other

7. a single pull on an oar or oars in rowing

8. manner or style of rowing

9. the oarsman who sits nearest the stern of a shell, facing the cox, and sets the rate of striking for the rest of the crew
www.neuro.wustl.edu/stroke
http://209.107.44.93/NationalStroke/default.htm

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stroke [strōk]

(computer science)

In optical character recognition, straight or curved portion of a letter, such as is commonly made with one smooth motion of a pen. Also known as character stroke.

That segment of a printed or handwritten character which has been temporarily isolated from other segments for the purpose of analyzing it, particularly with regard to its dimensions and relative reflectance. Also known as character stroke.

(electronics)

The penlike motion of a focused electron beam in cathode-ray-tube diplays.

(mechanical engineering)

The linear movement, in either direction, of a reciprocating mechanical part. Also known as throw.

(medicine)

A sudden cerebrovascular accident.

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stroke - The oblique stroke character, "/", ASCII 47. See ASCII for other synonyms.