Stroke What Everyone Needs To Know

What is a stroke? A stroke affects the nervous system where there is blocked blood vessel or bleeding in the brain causing brain cells to die beacuse of the lack of oxygen. There are two main types of stroke:

Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms that blocks the blood flow to part of the brain. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel on the brain's surface fractures and fills the space between the brain and skull with blood or when a artery in the brain bursts and fills the surrounding tissue with blood.

What are the Symptoms? The symptons of a stroke are:

!udden severe headaches !maller strokes may not have any symptoms but brain tissue is still damaged. Who can get a stroke? Anyone can be susceptible to a stroke but there are many risk factors such as:

Dizziness trouble walking loss of balance and coordination !peech problems "umbness weakness or paralysis on one side of the body #lurred blackened or double vision

$ver the age of %% and usually a male African American &ispanic or Asian'(acific )slander A family history of stroke &igh blood pressure and'or high cholesterol !moking cigarettes Diabetes $besity and overweight *ardiovascular disease

A previous stroke or transient ischemic attack +T)A, &igh levels of homocysteine +an amino acid in blood, #irth control use or other hormone therapy &eavy use of alcohol and'or *ocaine use Depression

How can a stroke be prevented? -iving a healthy lifestyle is a huge contributon to prevent a stroke. $ther preventions are:

.nowing and controlling blood pressure /inding out if you have atrial fibrillation "ot smoking and'or not using drugs -owering cholesterol sodium and fat intake Taking 0itamin # supplements /ollowing a healthy diet that includes tomatoes Drinking alcohol only in moderation Treating diabetes properly 1xercising regularly 2anaging stress Drinking three cups of tea per day Taking preventive medications such as anti3platelet and anticoagulant drugs to prevent blood clots *holesterol lowering drugs 4alking for at least 567 minutes each week

How is a stroke treated? To treat a stroke blood clot3busting drugs such as aspirin heparin or tissue plasminogen activators should be taken within three hours after the stroke to restore blood flow to the brain. There is also surgical procedures such as carotid endarterectomy and angioplasty that are performed to open up or widen arteries. &owever hemorrhagic strokes are treated differently by surgical methods such as aneurysm clipping aneurysm embolisation and'or arteriovenous malformation +A02, removal. 2ost patients after a stroke re8uire rehabilitation such as speech therapy occupational therapy physical therapy and family education depending on the area of the brain and the amount of tissue that was damaged. !tudies show that Tai *hi helped patients to regain balance also patients regained brain function through the help of a novel robotic device that they s8ueezed with their hand.

How effective is the treatments? To achieve a full recovery from a stroke there are certain standards that need to be considered such as:

a rapid response to a 996 call for suspected stroke fast transfer to a hospital an urgent brain scan taken as soon as possible access to a high 8uality stroke unit early multidisciplinary assessment stroke specialised rehabilitation planned transfer of care from hospital to community and longer term support

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