Basic Facts About A Stroke
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted or reduced severely, which deprives brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. The result is that brain cells begin to die in minutes. A stroke is an emergency that requires immediate medical care to minimize brain damage, treatment to prevent another stroke, rehabilitation to treat the effects of a stroke, or all three.
Strokes affect people of all ages and backgrounds, but the risk of a stroke increases with age. It is important to know that strokes can be prevented and treated by getting better control over major risk factors.
Types of Strokes
There are different types of strokes. A stroke can be caused by a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or a leaking blood or burst blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Some people may experience a temporary disruption of blood flow through their brain known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA) a "mini-stroke" or "warning stroke" that produces no lasting damage.
Ischemic Stroke.About 85 percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes, which occur when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked by blood clots or fatty deposits called plaque, resulting in severely reduced blood flow.
Hemorrhagic Stroke.A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel bursts in the brain, which results in blood accumulating and compressing the surrounding brain tissue.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) occurs when there is a temporary disruption of blood flow through the brain which does not result in lasting damage. It is important to receive treatment for TIA's immediately to reduce your risk of a major stroke.
Symptoms
There are signs and symptoms to watch for if you think that you or someone else may be having a stroke. Signs of a stroke come on suddenly. The most common signs and symptoms of a stroke are the following:
- Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg. You may develop sudden paralysis or numbness in your face, arm and leg, especially on one side of your body. Try to raise both hands over your head at the same time. If one arm begins to fall, this may be a sign of a stroke. One side of your face may be numb or droop. One side of your mouth may droop when you try to smile.
- Trouble speaking and understanding. You may experience sudden confusion and difficulty speaking. You may slur your words or find it difficult to understand speech.
- Trouble with walking. You may experience sudden dizziness, trouble walking or loss of balance and coordination.
- Trouble seeing with one or both eyes. You may suddenly have blurred or blackened vision in one or both eyes, or you may see double.
- Headache. A sudden severe headache with no known cause, which may be accompanied by vomiting, dizziness or altered consciousness, may indicate you are having a stroke.
If you or someone else experiences one or more signs or symptoms of a stroke, even if they seem to fluctuate or disappear, call 9-1-1 immediately. The likelihood that you will survive and recover from a stroke is greater if you receive emergency treatment.
Risk Factors
Anyone can have a stroke but certain factors increase your chances for a stroke. Knowing these factors will help you take the necessary steps to lower your risks.
- High blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension can increase your risk for a stroke.
- Heart disease. Some common heart disorders can increase your risk for a stroke.
- Diabetes. Having diabetes or high blood sugar can increase your risk for a stroke, and can make the outcome of strokes worse.
- High blood cholesterol. High blood cholesterol can build up fatty deposits (plaque) on blood vessel walls, which can block the blood flow to the brain, causing a stroke.
- Overweight and obesity. Being overweight or obese can increase blood pressure, raise total cholesterol levels and promote the development of diabetes.
- Previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). When you have had a previous stroke or TIA , also known as a "mini-stroke," the chance of you having a stroke in the future is greater.
- Sickle cell disease. This is a blood disorder that is associated with ischemic stroke, and primarily affects African American and Latino children.
- Tobacco use. Smoking injures blood vessels and speeds up the hardening of the arteries. Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide that reduces the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for a stroke.
- Alcohol use. Drinking too much alcohol raises your blood pressure, which increases your risk for a stroke. It also increases your triglycerides, a form of cholesterol, which can harden your arteries.
- Physical inactivity. Not getting enough exercise can result in weight gain, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Inactivity also increases your risk for diabetes.
- Family history. Having a family history (heredity) of stroke increases your chance of a stroke.
- Culture. African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians/ Alaskan Indigenous People have a greater chance of having a stroke than non-Latino whites or Asians.
- Age and gender. The older you are the more likely you are to have a stroke. For ages 65 and older, men are at a greater risk than women, for having a stroke.
Treatment
- Emergency treatment.Emergency treatment within a few hours of having a stroke often includes medications, called thrombolytics, to break up blood clots. The treatment for hemorrhagic strokes may include medications, as well as surgery to stop the bleeding.
- Preventing another stroke.When you have had a stroke you are at an increased risk for another stroke. This is why it is important to treat the underlying causes such as high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes or atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm). Your doctor may prescribe medications, recommend that you exercise, change your diet and adopt other healthy lifestyles as well as surgery.
- Rehabilitation. You may become involved in rehabilitation which often involves physical therapy to help you relearn skills, such as eating, bathing and dressing yourself, you may have lost as a result of a stroke.
Preventing A Stroke
- Eat a healthy diet. Eating healthful meals and snacks can help you avoid a stroke and its complications. It is also important to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking increases your risks significantly for a stroke. People who smoke should quit, which will lower their risk. Your doctor can suggest methods to help you stop smoking.
- Be active. Increasing physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Limit alcohol use. You should avoid drinking too much alcohol, which causes high blood pressure.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for a stroke. You should calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI), as doctors usually do, to determine if your weight is in a healthy range. A Body Mass Index Calculator (BMI) is provided below.
References
"About Stroke." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 9, 2013.
"Stroke." Mayo Clinic. July 3, 2012.