Women using birth control have become concerned about Yaz causing strokes. Some women have developed blood clots that have trigged a stroke or heart attack. Free confidential consultation from a Yasmin stroke attorney representing clients throughout the United States.
Yaz Strokes: Blood Clots In The Arteries Of The Brain
Several arteries supply your brain with oxygen-rich blood. These include your vertebral, cerebral, basilar, and carotid arteries. If any of them become blocked, they cannot efficiently deliver blood to your brain. This triggers a stroke. Within three or four minutes, the brain tissue that is fed by the blocked artery will die. Because dead brains cell are not replaced or regenerated, the side effects of a Yasmin stroke are often permanent.
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 and 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.
Yasmin and Yaz birth control pills may increase the risk of abnormal clotting. If you have used these oral contraceptive and suffered blood clots, DVT, or stroke, contact a Yaz stroke attorney. You may be able to file a legal claim against the manufacturer.
