Goldie Remembered: What You Should Know About Intracerebral Hemorrhage

12:01 - 28 October 2013

Following the rather sudden death of Nigerian pop diva and former Big Brother Africa Stargame house-mate, Goldie, an autopsy was carried out on the late artiste which revealed that contrary to speculations which suggested that Goldie died of drug abuse, the late singer actually died as a result of an «intracerebral hemorrhage» caused by a «hypertensive heart disease».

In simple terms, an Intracerebral hemorrhage is bleeding in the brain caused by the breaking of a blood vessel in the head.

What causes this?

According to the health section of the New York Times, the sudden increase in pressure within the brain can cause damage to the brain cells surrounding the blood. If the amount of blood increases rapidly, the sudden buildup in pressure can lead to unconsciousness or death. Intracerebral hemorrhage usually occurs in selected parts of the brain, including the basal ganglia, cerebellum, brain stem, or cortex and it could be caused by:

The following factors could also raise the risk of Intracerebral Hemorrhage:

Symptoms...

Intracerebral Hemorrhage could occur at all ages and symptoms vary depending on the location of the bleeding and amount of brain tissue affected. They also usually develop suddenly and without warning often during activity. The major symptom of Intracerebral Hemorrhage however is, High Blood Pressure. Other symptoms also include:

Can it be treated?

Treatment of Intracerebral Hemorrhage mostly depends on the location, cause and amount of the haemorrhage (bleeding). It is however a severe condition which requires prompt medical attention as it can quickly develop into a life-threatening situation. Surgery is needed in most situations while medications like anticonvulsants, corticosteroids or diuretics and painkillers can be used in some cases. Treatments could also have severe side effects.

Recovery depends largely on the severity of the case and it could be complete or there could be a permanent loss of brain. Death could also occur quickly as in the case of Goldie.

How does one prevent this?

Prevention is better than cure and as such its important to treat and control underlying disorders such as those listed above so as to reduce the risk of developing Intracerebral Hemorrhage. Also treat and manage high blood pressure. Above all, endeavour to carry out thorough medical check-ups regularly.