As soon as a clot blocks an artery, the region of the brain that is normally served by this artery goes into distress.
1,9 million brain cells die every minute during a stroke.
This region is now starting to divide into two areas, a part that is already dead, and an area that can still be saved but will die if we do nothing.
The main priority should be to restore blood flow in the artery as fast as possible for us to save the area that has not died yet and thus to reduce the extent of the disability caused.
Some patients are lucky enough to be treated so fast that the amount of dead brain tissue is very small. In these patients, one would hardly be able to see they had a stroke.
Because brain cells start dying immediately, most stroke patients would be left with some residual disability.
If left untreated, the area that could have been saved will often also end up dead. As a result, many stroke patients who could have survived their stroke if they were treated fast enough, will die or end up permanently disabled needing constant medical care.
