About Stroke
A stroke happens when blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Blood is carried to the brain by blood vessels called arteries. Blood contains oxygen and important nutrients for your brain cells. Blood may be interrupted or stop moving through an artery, because the artery is blocked (ischaemic stroke) or bursts (haemorrhagic stroke). When brain cells do not get enough oxygen or nutrients, they die. The area of brain damage is called a cerebral infarct.
Stroke Types:
Ischemic Stroke
Ischemic stroke is the most common type. It is usually caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. This keeps blood from flowing to the brain. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Another cause is stenosis, or narrowing of the artery. This can happen because of atherosclerosis, a disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries
Hemorrhagic Stroke
A hemorrhagic stroke is when blood from an artery begins bleeding into the brain. This happens when a weakened blood vessel bursts and bleeds into the surrounding brain.Pressure from the leaked blood damages brains cells, and, as a result, the damaged area is unable to function properly.
Stroke Symptoms :
FOR INSTANT RECOGNITION OF STROKE, GO FAST FOR
F — means Facial Deviation
A — Arm means low drooping of out stretched hands in front
S — Speech means difficulty to speak or comprehend Speech
T — Time is brain. Time lost is Brain Lost. So immediately ask for ambulance for hospitalization
This FAST Test is very important for Ischemic Stroke requiring Thrombolysis within 4.5 hours of onset.
These are of SUDDEN onset and comprises of
- Weakness of one side or parts of one side of the body
- Difficulty in talking or comprehending e Lack of communication
- Difficulty to see on one side or diplopia
- Difficulty in walking with or without vertigo or dizziness, or lack of balance
- Intense Headache (not previously experienced), vomiting, impaired or loss of consciousness, convulsion etc (these features are usually seen in Hemorrhagic Stroke.
Face Drooping
Ask the person to Smile.Is one side of the face Drooping?
ARM WEAKNESS
Ask the person to raise thier Arms?Is one arm weak?
SPEECH SLURRED
Ask the person to speak.Is Speech Slurred?
TIME TO CALL
Time to call the Ambulance.
Stroke Prevention:
Prevention of Stroke :
MORE THAN 80% OF STROKES CAN BE PREVENTED..
There are some stroke risk factors that you cannot do anything about, such as older age, being male, family history or already having a prior stroke.
You can reduce your risk and help prevent stroke by taking some simple steps:
- Make time for a health check for stroke risk factors.
- Take charge of your own health and live a healthy lifestyle.
