What does AVC mean in UNCLASSIFIED

An Acidente Vascular Cerebral, or AVC, is a type of stroke caused by an interruption in the brain's blood supply. It is sometimes referred to as a "brain attack" that happens when the brain's blood flow is interrupted, blocking oxygen and nutrients from reaching parts of the brain. AVC can cause permanent damage to the part of the brain affected and can lead to severe disability or even death.

Common symptoms of an AVC include sudden paralysis or numbness on one side of your body or face, difficulty speaking, vision loss in one eye, problems with balance or coordination, confusion and disorientation, and severe headache.

An AVC is typically diagnosed through medical imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI that show evidence of tissue damage in the affected area of the brain. Your doctor may also order lab tests such as a CBC (complete blood count) or a coagulation study to determine whether you have any clotting disorders that may increase your risk for stroke.

Risk factors for an AVC include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, smoking, being overweight or obese, heart disease or previous history of stroke in family members. People aged 45 years and older are generally more susceptible to developing strokes.

Treatment options for people who have had an AVC depend on the severity of their condition but usually involves medications such as blood thinners to reduce clotting risks in addition to lifestyle changes such as weight loss if necessary. In cases where surgery may be necessary physiotherapy can also help with restoring lost motor function.

While it’s not always possible to prevent having an AVC completely there are measures you can take to lower your risk factors. These include eating a healthy diet low in saturated fat and sodium; exercising regularly; limiting alcohol consumption; quitting smoking; managing stress levels; controlling existing medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes; avoiding drug use including cocaine; and taking prescribed medications properly if recommendation by your doctor.

Recovery following an Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) depends on the extent and location of the damage caused by stroke in each individual case but can take several weeks up to six months before full recovery has been achieved depending on other factors such as age and pre-existing medical conditions.