Doctors can usually make a preliminary diagnosis of a stroke based on the event’s presentation. Moreover, if symptoms are obvious, your doctor may be able to identify which area of your brain has been affected. Such signs are inadequate for making a conclusive diagnosis, however. Thus, one or more of the following studies are typically performed.

Physical And Neurological Examination

A stroke can result in side effects that are mild or seemingly absent. This is often the case when the event affects functions that are seldom used. Your doctor – or a neurologist – can determine whether you have suffered a stroke by conducting a physical and neurological exam.

During the exam, you’ll be asked to perform several routine tasks, and answer a short series of questions. The purpose is to study how well your brain processes information, and transmits signals to the rest of your body. Your physician will be able to monitor functions related to speech and memory, as well as test your reflexes, balance, and coordination.

Blood Tests For Studying Coagulation Factors

Blood tests can be done to determine why stroke caused by Yaz side effects has occurred. Specifically, your physician will want to know whether you suffer from an existing clotting disorder. If your medical history shows no evidence of such a disorder, the level of coagulation factors in your blood may provide insight.

Common blood tests include a complete blood count (CBC), and testing for deficiencies in proteins C and S, both of which prevent clotting. Your doctor may also perform a partial thromboplastin time (PTT) test, and examine the level of homocysteine in your blood.

CT Scanning To Rule Out Non-Stroke Disorders

A computed tomography (CT) scan is typically done early to identify whether your stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic. This test can also help your physician identify other abnormalities, including brain tumors and abscesses. For this reason, it is a valuable diagnostic study for ruling out conditions that are unrelated to stroke. It is quick, widely available in most hospitals, and unless a contrast dye is used, noninvasive.

Imaging Tests To Detect Carotid Arterial Blockages

While CT scanning can rule out non-stroke disorders, additional imaging studies can prove useful for narrowing the cause to blockages within the carotid arteries. One such test is a Transcranial Doppler ultrasound. It measures the rate of blood flow through the arteries of the brain and their branches. Areas where blood flow stops indicate an obstruction; areas where the velocity is greater than normal suggest narrowing.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can also be performed to identify occluded blood vessels in the brain. This test produces images that are much clearer than those produced by CT scanning. It can reveal blockages within minutes of the first symptoms.

Cerebral Angiography To Locate Clots

Once diagnosis of a stroke has been confirmed by performing the above tests, the location of the obstructing blood clots must be identified. While CT scans and MRIs provide useful information about the site of a blockage, its precise position might remain unknown. Here, a cerebral angiogram is invaluable.

A special contrast dye is introduced via catheter directly into the occluded carotid artery. This dye displays clearly on x-rays. Your doctor can examine the x-ray images to locate clots and other abnormalities, and ultimately, decide on an appropriate form of treatment.

Yaz Lawsuit News
Yaz and stroke can result in lasting impairments – both physical and cognitive. Most stroke survivors require rehabilitation following the event in order to regain lost functions. If you have suffered from abnormal blood clots, stroke, or other serious Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation for your injuries. Contact a Yaz lawsuit settlements attorney to discuss your options. We are currently continuing to file cases for women throughout the United States and the first lawsuits are set to go to trial in 2012.

Sometimes, a survivor’s ability to produce language is impacted; in other cases, an impairment affects her ability to understand the speech or written words of others. The disorder is usually referred to with the umbrella term aphasia. But since the brain is complex, such language-related problems can present in many different ways. Below, we’ll cover the most common forms of aphasia that can result from a stroke.

Fluent Aphasia

This language impairment is also known as Wernicke’s aphasia. It is usually caused by damage to the temporal lobe of the brain. Those who have it can speak fluently, but their speech is unintelligible – to others and themselves. Real words are often used, but they are arranged randomly. For example, a person with this disability might say, “The carpet on the freezer was dog school.” Sometimes, the words used by the aphasic have no meaning. She might state, “The clong snow was stiggle the bidoodle.”

Those who have Wernicke’s aphasia are usually unable to understand words spoken by other people. Also noteworthy, even though the survivor is unable to comprehend what she is saying, she has the impression her speech is clear to others. This understandably causes frustration.

Non-Fluent Aphasia

Non-fluent aphasia is also called Broca’s aphasia, and is triggered by an injury to the frontal lobe. This language disability affects the production of speech. The aphasic has difficulty speaking in complete sentences, and will often shorten her speech by skipping avoidable words. For example, she might say, “Take walk” instead of “I’m going to take a walk.” She might also choose alternative forms of speech to communicate her thoughts when confronting problematic words. For instance, she might state, “Leave clock clock” instead of “We should leave at two o’clock.”

In contrast to Wernicke’s aphasia, those who suffer from Broca’s aphasia can usually understand the speech of others. Also, because the frontal lobe is involved, this form of aphasia is often accompanied with one-sided paralysis.

Global Aphasia

This language impairment is essentially a combination of both Wernicke’s aphasia and Broca’s aphasia. It can be triggered if a Yaz stroke causes extensive injury in both the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. Those who have global aphasia experience difficulty speaking, or understanding what others are saying.

Transcortical Aphasia

A less common form of language disability is called transcortical aphasia. It can be categorized by type, and manifests in ways that are similar to Wernicke’s and Broca’s aphasias. For example, injury to the frontal lobe can make speaking difficult, as with Broca’s aphasia. The difference is that with transcortical motor aphasia, the survivor can effortlessly repeat what she hears, even if she has trouble saying the same phrase on her own.

Transcortical sensory aphasia – caused by an injury to the temporal lobe – presents an impairment similar to Wernicke’s aphasia. The stroke survivor will be able to speak without difficulty, but will be unable to understand her words. Likewise, she will be unable to comprehend the words of others. With this disorder, however, she will be able to repeat what others are saying, even if she does not understand the words she is repeating.

Transcortical mixed aphasia combines features of both motor and sensory-based aphasias. It is similar to global aphasia in that the survivor will have difficulty speaking or understanding the speech of others.

Yaz Lawsuit Status
The presentation of Yaz side effects involving a stroke is unpredictable due to the complexity of the brain, and the number of functions it controls. Language deficits are among the many possible consequences. If you have suffered from a stroke or other dangerous Yaz, Ocella or Yasmin side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation against the manufacturer. Contact a Yaz lawsuit attorney to discuss your case and learn about the latest litigation news that might affect your potential claim.

The side effects of an ischemic stroke are well-known. Memory problems, vision challenges, partial paralysis, and speech-related deficits are a few of the many potential outcomes. What is less understood is the process by which these symptoms occur, and the reasons their presentation varies so significantly from patient to patient. We’ll address both issues below.

Why A Stroke Presents Immediate Side Effects

If you suffer a pulmonary embolism or heart attack, symptoms will typically evolve slowly (unless you’re experiencing a massive event). They may take several hours to reach their maximal level. With Yaz side effects involving a stroke, deficits occur suddenly, and reach their peak severity within minutes.

Your brain tissue requires a constant supply of oxygen, nutrients, and blood in order to function properly. It receives these things through the vertebral, basilar, and internal carotid arteries. When any of these arteries become blocked, the blood supply is interrupted. This causes the underlying brain tissue to begin dying.

Even though your brain tissue can live for two or three minutes without nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood, it stops functioning within seconds. This is the reason symptoms present immediately following a stroke.

Why Stroke Side Effects Vary By Patient

Some survivors will experience visual impairments; others will suffer an inability to understand language; and still others may experience vertigo or one-sided weakness. The presentation of stroke varies based on the area of the brain that has been affected.

Your brain is comprised of three main sections: the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. The cerebrum is further divided into lobes – namely, the frontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal lobes. Each of these areas is supplied with blood through specific arteries. The symptoms you experience following a stroke depend on the location of the blockage.

Brain stem strokes are rare. When they occur, they are usually fatal since this area of the brain controls vital functions (e.g. heart rate, body temperature, breathing, etc.). Strokes affecting the cerebellum are also uncommon, though seldom terminal; this area influences balance, coordination, and reflexes.

Most strokes impact the cerebrum. Each of the cerebrum’s four lobes influences different functions, and thus blockages in each lobe will trigger different side effects. Moreover, a brain injury that occurs on the left side of the cerebrum will affect the right side of your body, and vice versa.

Why Some Symptoms Seem More Severe Than Others

There are two reasons many side effects can seem more severe than others. First, some strokes will trigger deficits in areas that may not be regularly used, or are difficult to notice. For example, a blockage that affects the frontal lobe may result in a lack of initiative in the survivor. This impairment is difficult to recognize. By contrast, a brain injury in the occipital lobe may present visual hallucinations. This is very easy to identify.

The second reason stroke side effects vary in severity is more straightforward. It involves the extent of the brain injury. When your brain tissue is starved of blood, the damage it sustains worsens with each passing second. The more extensive the damage, the more severe the symptom. For example, a stroke that affects the temporal lobe, but is treated quickly, may only result in mild, one-sided hearing loss. If treatment is delayed, however, you may experience a severe hearing deficit on one side. The same principle is true any type of brain injury.

Yaz stroke symptoms are as varied as they are serious. Some may be temporary while others are permanent. If you have suffered DVT, pulmonary embolism, stroke, gallbladder disease or other Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation for your injuries. Contact one of our Yaz lawyers to discuss your options. We are currently representing women throughout the United States.

When you arrive at the hospital, the medical team’s first priority will be to regulate your vital signs. They will monitor your body temperature, blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. Even slight variances – especially in your body temperature – can aggravate your condition.

Once your vital signs are under control, your doctor will diagnose your condition and create a treatment plan. Treatment is based on the severity of the stroke, and may include anticoagulants, thrombolytic therapy, and in life-threatening situations, surgery.

Blood Thinners And Antiplatelet Medications

Anticoagulants (i.e. blood thinners), such as warfarin and heparin, usually represent the first-line treatment for a stroke. Warfarin is taken orally in pill form, and requires several days to begin having an effect. It inhibits the production of vitamin K, an important clotting agent, and thereby slows the rate of clot formation.

Heparin is given by injection or intravenously, and takes effect immediately. It inhibits thrombin, an enzyme that causes the protein fibrinogen to turn into fibrin. Fibrin strands form the net that becomes the basis for a clot. Hence, inhibiting the action of thrombin slows your body’s clotting system.

Blood clots form when cells called platelets begin to clump together. Antiplatelet drugs, taken in pill form, prevent these cells from clumping. By doing so, they prevent further clots from forming in the blocked carotid artery following a stroke caused by Yasmin or Yaz.

Thrombolytic Medications (Clot-Busters)

While blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs work to prevent further clotting, they do not address the clots that triggered the stroke. Other measures must be taken to break these clots apart and remove them. This is the job of thrombolytic drugs, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), streptokinase, and urokinase.

These medications are administered intravenously and attack fibrin, the sticky net that forms the basis of a clot. Following a stroke, thrombolytics can dissolve the fibrin and break up the obstructing clots within the carotid arteries. This helps to restore blood flow to your brain.

The main drawback of thrombolytic therapy is that the drugs pose a high risk of bleeding in the brain. For this reason, most doctors will only administer them if they can do so within the first few hours after symptoms present.

Treating A Stroke With Surgery

If thrombolysis proves ineffective for breaking up clots, or the drugs cannot be given due to the risk of bleeding, surgery may be necessary. A procedure called carotid endarterectomy can be performed to remove the offending clots. An incision is made into the neck over the blocked carotid artery. The artery is opened so the surgeon can remove the obstruction. Then, the incisions are closed.

Though seemingly simple, there is significant risk involved with this procedure. The surgeon may unintentionally dislodge other clots in the area, thereby causing another stroke.

Installing A Filter In The Carotid Artery

Doctors will occasionally recommend the installation of a stent and filter in the affected carotid artery. This is done when surgery poses too great a risk. The stent keeps the artery open so blood can flow freely to your brain; the filter ensnares migrating blood clots before they can cause a blockage. This is similar to a vena cava filter that is installed to prevent a pulmonary embolism.

A stroke can cause lasting impairments to your physical and cognitive functions. If you or someone you know has suffered blood clots, stroke, or other serious Ocella, Yaz or Yasmin side effects, find out about your legal rights. Contact an experienced Yasmin lawsuit lawyer to discuss your options.

According to the National Institute Of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), over 700,000 people suffer the event each yearwithin the U.S. Nearly 1 in 5 die. Meanwhile, millions of stroke survivors cope with permanent disabilities that resulted from the event.

A stroke is a medical emergency. The condition requires immediate treatment in order to minimize brain damage. In cases where anticoagulants and thrombolytic medications have failed to improve the patient’s condition, carotid endarterectomy may be done. This is an invasive surgical procedure that poses its own set of risks.

How Carotid Endarterectomy Is Performed

The back of your neck is used as the entry site to the blocked carotid artery. This area is shaved and cleaned prior to the surgeon making the incision. A general anesthesia may be administered to put you to sleep. More commonly, the physician will administer a local anesthetic to numb the entry site and allow you to stay awake during the procedure. This provides the surgeon with an opportunity to observe how your brain reacts to the reduced supply of blood and oxygen.

An incision is made into the side of the neck where the clot is blocking the artery. The other blood vessels, tissues, and nerves are moved aside to expose the affected carotid artery. Before the artery can be incised, a clamp must be placed upon it in order to temporarily stop blood flow. Your surgeon may install a shunt to provide an alternative path for blood to flow during the procedure. Even without this shunt, your brain will receive blood from the unaffected carotid artery.

Once the clamp is in place, your physician will make an incision into the artery where the clot is located. This incision is called an arteriotomy. In many cases, plaque and fatty deposits have also formed along the arterial wall. The surgeon will remove them along with the offending thrombus. After the arterial blockage has been removed, the incision is closed.

After the clamp and shunt are removed, your surgeon will ensure there is no bleeding. The entry site is then closed and bandaged. Unless complications present, the entire procedure can be completed within two hours.

Potential Risks Of Carotid Endarterectomy

The most dangerous risk associated with carotid endarterectomy is that it might set off another stroke. There are often multiple thrombi within a carotid artery. When the surgeon incises the blocked artery and removes the obstructions, other thrombi can break away from the blood vessel’s lining. If this occurs, they might travel more deeply toward the brain and form another blockage. This can cause a subsequent stroke.

Another danger involves the nerves located near the entry site and the site of the arteriotomy. These nerves can be injured during the procedure. This often leads to temporary dysfunction or impairment that manifests through a difficulty swallowing or speaking. Fortunately, these problems tend to dissipate within three or four weeks.

Carotid endarterectomy may be recommended by your doctor if plaque is present in your carotid arteries and there is evidence of Yaz blood clots within other blood vessels. In such cases, even a small thrombus can migrate to the artery and restrict the flow of blood to your brain. By removing the plaque and fatty deposits, your physician can prevent the onset of a Yaz stroke.

If you have suffered gallbladder removal, blood clots, stroke, or other Yaz side effects after taking this oral contraceptive, find out about your legal rights. Contact a Yaz lawuit attorney to discuss your options including the latest information on Yaz lawsuit settlement amounts.

Women who use Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz birth control may be exposing themselves to several different side effects. Yaz birth control, along with Yasmin and Ocella, combines estrogen with a synthetic progestin hormone called drospirenone. Some people think this combination may pose a higher risk of blood clots, which can cause life-threatening events, such as Yaz and stroke, pulmonary embolism, and heart attack. Women who have experienced problems have looked at filing a Yaz or Ocella lawsuit to help recover compensation and make up for time lost from work, medical bills, and the long term effects of their injury.

Below, we’ll explore stroke in greater detail. You’ll discover the different types (i.e. ischemic, intracerebral hemorrhagic, and subarachnoid hemorrhagic) as well as the catalysts for each. While Yaz stroke side effects are byproducts of ischemic brain tissue damage, it’s worth reviewing the two forms of hemorrhagic stroke to note the differences.

Causes Of Hemorrhagic And Ischemic Stroke

Stroke is broadly defined as a disruption in the flow of blood to your brain. Normally, your brain receives a continuous supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients from a network of arteries. Any interruption in this supply causes the brain cells fed by a given artery or blood vessel to starve. Brain cells can only survive in this state for a few minutes. If the supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients is not restored quickly, the affected brain tissue begins to die. The patient experiences a stroke.

There are two main categories of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic. The former defines Yaz stroke. It is caused by an obstruction within one of the blood vessels that supply the brain. Sometimes, the blockage is due to plaque deposits that form over time. More commonly, it occurs as the result of blood clots that migrate from other areas of your body. This is the reason stroke is listed as one of several Yaz side effects.

As implied earlier, hemorrhagic stroke can be categorized into two groups: intracerebral and subarachnoid. The former is defined as bleeding within your brain. The latter is defined as bleeding in the space that separates your brain and skull (called the subarachnoid space).

An intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke is caused by high blood pressure. The affected blood vessel ruptures, thereby flooding the neighboring brain tissue. A subarachnoid hemorrhagic stroke is also caused by a ruptured blood vessel, but the catalysts may be different. A patient might suffer a head injury that causes the rupture. While many experts suggest stroke must be related to a spontaneous internal event, the results are the same: flooding in the subarachnoid space.

Potential Yaz Stroke Problems

The type of Yaz stroke side effects that present following the event are dependent on the location of the blockage. Moreover, their severity is dictated by the size of the blockage and the amount of time that passes before treatment is administered.

If you suffer brain tissue damage within the right hemisphere of your cerebrum, you might experience weakness or a degree of paralysis on your left side. You may also suffer vision impairment on your left side as well as problems related to depth perception and object recognition.

Tissue damage within your cerebrum’s left hemisphere triggers Yaz side effects on the right side of your body. This too, can produce persistent weakness, paralysis, and vision impairment. It often affects reasoning, judgment, and reading ability.

Both hemispheres of your cerebrum control your memory and mood. For that reason, tissue damage on either side can potentially cause problems in both areas (though the side effects will manifest differently).

The Dangers Of Yaz Blood Clots

The problems described above often begin with blood clots that form in the deep veins. Yaz blood clots can break away from the venous wall and travel with your bloodstream toward your heart, lungs, and brain. If they cause an obstruction in key blood vessels, the clots can trigger heart attack, pulmonary embolism, and stroke. If you or someone you know has suffered any of these Yaz birth control side effects, invest the time to explore your legal rights. Contact an experienced Yaz / Ocella lawsuit attorney to discuss your case.

Stroke comes in two forms: ischemic and hemorrhagic. The former (sometimes called cerebral embolism) is caused by blockages within a blood vessel, as described above. The latter is caused by a blood vessel that ruptures and floods the surrounding brain tissue. Both can have serious consequences.

Because Yaz strokes occur as the result of blood clots, the discussion that follows will deal primarily with ischemic stroke. We’ll explore how clots contribute to a cerebral embolism, how the condition is diagnosed, and the most common forms of treatment.

Plaque, Blood Clots, And Stroke

Ischemic stroke usually occurs due to a blockage that forms within the carotid arteries. It can be caused by plaque, blood clots, or both. Over time, plaque can accumulate along the arterial walls, a condition known as carotid artery disease (CAD). This happens naturally with age; it is estimated that 10% of adults over 80 years of age suffer some degree of CAD. If the condition is severe, it can cause stroke.

Blood clots can contribute to ischemic stroke in two ways. First, they can form when the accumulation of plaque within the carotid artery ruptures. The rupture triggers your blood’s clotting mechanism, which further constricts the flow of blood through the artery.

Second, clots can arrive at a carotid artery after having formed in another area of your body. For example, a blood clot can develop within a deep vein of your leg. The muscles surrounding the deep vein can contract, dislodging the clot from its site. The clot then travels with your bloodstream and reaches a carotid artery, blocking it and starving a portion of your brain tissue. This is how a Yaz stroke occurs.

Diagnosing The Root Cause Of Stroke

Your doctor will perform multiple tests in order to diagnose the root cause of a stroke. This is critical because it helps him or her plan a treatment strategy that prevents a recurrence.

Electrocardiography will help your doctor identify or rule out arrhythmias and heart valve disorders as the cause. Then, a Doppler ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI can be ordered to determine which carotid artery has developed a blockage. Blood tests will also be performed to exclude anemia, vasculitis, and other related conditions as contributing factors.

Anticoagulants, Medications, And Surgery

Immediately following a Yaz stroke, a medical team will prescribe aspirin to prevent your blood from clotting. If clotting persists, antiplatelets and anticoagulants are administered. Antiplatelet medications prevent platelets within your blood from forming clots. Anticoagulants hamper the proteins within your blood that contribute toward clotting.

If antiplatelets and anticoagulants are ineffective, a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is administered that can break apart the clots. Because tPAs introduce a risk of bleeding in the brain, doctors will avoid using them under certain circumstances (e.g. severe stroke, recent surgery, head injury, etc.).

If a portion of the brain tissue supplied by the clogged artery survives the stroke, and your life expectancy exceeds five years, a surgeon may perform carotid endarterectomy. This is a procedure during which a blood clot can be surgically removed from the carotid artery. It is dangerous. Because the operation can loosen other clots, it can potentially trigger another stroke.

Yaz birth control pills may increase the risk of abnormal clotting. If you have used this oral contraceptive and suffered blood clots, DVT, or stroke, contact a Yaz blood clot lawyer. You may be able to file a legal claim against the manufacturer.

Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. This can happen in one of two ways. First, if an obstruction (i.e. fatty deposit, blood clot, etc.) forms within a contributing blood vessel, the blockage can cause an ischemic stroke. Second, if an artery ruptures, the area surrounding the rupture is flooded with blood. The flooding compresses the tissue and triggers a hemorrhagic stroke.

Because Yaz strokes are caused by blood clots, they are ischemic in nature. Below, I’ll describe common warning signs and symptoms that accompany stroke. We’ll also explore the long-term side effects that can result.

Yaz Stroke Warning Symptoms

Symptoms are most severe during the first few minutes of an ischemic stroke. Your brain tissue will begin to die quickly as it is starved of oxygenated blood. Depending upon where the blockage has formed, you might experience partial blindness or vision problems on one side of both of your eyes. You might also become paralyzed on one side of your body. These Yasmin stroke symptoms present when the internal carotid artery is involved.

You’ll experience different symptoms if one of your vertebral arteries is affected. You might feel dizzy and have double vision. Your entire body may suddenly feel weak. These symptoms are often accompanied by slurred speech, confusion, and a sudden lack of coordination.

Once the initial symptoms present, most ischemic strokes stabilize. After a few days have passed while in this state, they are considered to be “complete.” However, there are many potential long-term side effects that can manifest down the road.

The Threat Of Long-Term Side Effects

Nearly 10% of patients who suffer an ischemic stroke recover all of their physical function. The remaining 90% experience some degree of physical impairment, ranging from mild to severe. One in ten victims will require long-term care.

Each patient is affected differently by stroke, depending on the stroke’s severity and the portion of the brain tissue that was starved of blood and oxygen. In some cases, it can affect your emotions, causing mood swings or uncontrollable laughter. It can also cause awareness problems; you might forget about limbs that are immobile or numb. For example, if your arm is paralyzed and you bump it on a kitchen counter, you may be completely unaware.

Suffering a Yaz stroke can also lead to issues involving your perception and cognition. With regard to perception, you may lose the ability to recognize objects that were once familiar to you. Or, you may misjudge the distance between yourself and other objects. You might also lose the cognitive ability to understand certain words (a condition known as aphasia).

If you are using Yaz oral contraceptives, you are at risk of developing blood clots. Those clots can travel to your carotid and vertebral arteries, causing a blockage and triggering an ischemic stroke. If you have already experienced a Yasmin stroke, or have developed blood clots after taking this birth control pill, you may be able to file a claim against the manufacturer. Contact a Yaz attorney to explore your options.

When a portion of your brain does not receive a constant supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients, you will experience a stroke. It can occur in two ways. A hemorrhagic stroke is characterized by a ruptured blood vessel. The rupture disrupts the flow of blood to your brain while flooding the surrounding tissue. An ischemic stroke occurs due to a clogged artery. A Yaz stroke is ischemic in nature and is one of several potentially life-threatening complications triggered by an increased risk of blood clots.

This article will focus solely on ischemic strokes caused by Yaz and Yasmin oral contraceptives. You’ll discover how these fourth generation combined-hormone birth control pills can cause blood clots which lead to stroke. I’ll also provide an overview regarding how Yasmin and Yaz strokes are treated.

Yaz Blood Clots: Birth Of An Ischemic Stroke

Yaz and Yasmin both contain estrogen and drospirenone, a synthetic progestin. Estrogen has long been considered a risk factor for blood clots. Studies show that taking estrogen-based birth control pills increases the risk of blood clots 4 times relative to non-use. The inclusion of drospirenone may increase this risk. In August 2009, the British Medical Journal published a study that showed oral contraceptives combining drospirenone with estrogen represented a 6.3-fold increase in the risk of blood clots.

When a Yaz blood clot forms in a deep vein, the condition is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). If the clot detaches itself from the wall of the vein, it can travel along with your bloodstream toward your lungs, heart, or brain.

Your brain is supplied with blood by multiple carotid arteries. A wandering blood clot can lodge within one of these arteries, thereby preventing it from delivering blood to your brain. This is called a cerebral embolism. It can trigger an ischemic stoke. Within minutes, your brain cells will die, increasing the severity of the stroke’s side effects. You may experience partial blindness, paralysis, memory loss, and even vertigo. These injuries are often permanent.

Treating A Yaz Stroke

Because a stroke can happen quickly, immediate medical attention is crucial. Once a victim’s heart rate and breathing have been restored, a doctor will often administer thrombolytic drugs to help dissolve the clots. Anticoagulants may be necessary to prevent further clotting. In severe cases, a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may be administered to reestablish blood flow to the brain.

A surgeon may elect to perform a carotid endarterectomy to remove the cerebral clots. While the procedure can reduce the likelihood of future Yaz strokes, it is not without risks. The surgical team may inadvertently dislodge other clots that travel into the carotid arteries, triggering another stroke.

In the event that a carotid endarterectomy presents too high a risk, a surgeon may insert a stent within the artery. Its purpose is to catch subsequent clots before they can advance to the brain and set off subsequent strokes.

Healthy women have reported developing blood clots after taking Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills. As noted, if the clots form in a deep vein (causing DVT), they can break away and travel toward your lungs, heart, or brain. If you or a loved one has suffered blood clots after taking these oral contraceptives, you may be at risk of suffering a stroke. Contact a Yasmin or Yaz class action lawsuit attorney to explore your legal rights.

A Yaz stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, allowing blood into the spaces surrounding brain cells. Brain cells die when they are prevented from receiving oxygen and nutrients from the blood or there is sudden bleeding around the brain.

The symptoms of a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble with walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination; or sudden severe headache with no known cause.

There are two forms of stroke:

• ischemic – blockage of a blood vessel supplying the brain
• hemorrhagic – bleeding into or around the brain.

Stroke Treatment

Generally there are three treatment stages for stroke: prevention, therapy immediately after the stroke, and post-stroke rehabilitation. Therapies to prevent a first or recurrent stroke are based on treating an individual’s underlying risk factors for stroke, such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes. Acute stroke therapies attempt to stop a stroke while it is happening by quickly dissolving the blood clot causing an ischemic stroke or by stopping the bleeding of a hemorrhagic stroke. Post-stroke rehabilitation helps patients overcome disabilities that result from stroke damage. Medication or drug therapy is the most common treatment for stroke. The most popular medications used to prevent or treat stroke are antithrombotics (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants) and thrombolytics.

What is the prognosis?

Although stroke immediately occurs the brain, it can affect the entire body. A frequent disability caused by a stroke is complete paralysis on one side of the body, called hemiplegia. A related disability that is not as debilitating as paralysis is one-sided weakness or hemiparesis. A Yaz stroke risk may also lead to problems with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory. Patients surviving strokes often have difficulties understanding or forming speech. A stroke can lead to emotional problems. Stroke patients may have difficulty controlling their emotions or may express inappropriate emotions. Many stroke patients experience depression. Stroke survivors may also have numbness or strange sensations. The pain is often worse in the hands and feet and is made worse by movement and temperature changes, especially cold temperatures. Many women who have suffered Yaz strokes continue have problems with problems and side effects long after their initial recovery.

People that have had a stroke will frequently have another; about 25 percent of people who recover from their first stroke will have another stroke within 5 years.

If you developed a blood clot, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism or had Yaz and strokes you may have important legal rights and may want to contact a law firm to discuss your options.

Fields Law Firm is currently representing women throughout the United States in a Yaz lawsuit who have developed a blood clot or suffered from a stroke while using Yaz birth control. There is never any cost or obligation to talk to a Yaz attorney who can help answer your questions. All clients are individually represented in filing a claim and there are never any expenses or legal fees unless you receive compensation for your injuries.