An area of brain cells surrounding the initial site of brain damage from stroke. The brain cells in the penumbra are threatened by ischemic injury, but not irreversibly damaged. The ancient Greeks used this word to describe the condition now known as a stroke. The right half of the brain. Controls the actions of the left side of the body.
Secondary injury is caused by a chain reaction of electrical and chemical events.
Because this damage does not occur at the time of stroke, but in the hours following a stroke, it is critical to seek immediate medical treatment for stroke. The sudden interruption of blood flow to a part of the brain that kills brain cells within the area. As a result, body functions controlled by the affected area may be impaired or lost. A stroke caused by bleeding under the thin, delicate membrane surrounding the brain. Acute interventional drugs which work directly to break up or dissolve stroke-causing clots.