Stroke

What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when there is a block of blood flow, and the brain can’t get blood or oxygen. The brain tissue can begin to die within minutes, which can lead to long term damage to your brain, body, and abilities.

There are two kinds of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are the most common. This occurs when blood or other particles block the blood to the brain. Hemorrhagic strokes are when a vessel in the brain begins to leak or break, causing too much blood to be in the brain. Sometimes, your body will give a “warning stroke” called transient ischemic attack or TIA. These are important to note because they may leave you at more risk for a stroke in the future.

Strokes are common within the United States, about 1 of every 19 deaths is related to a stroke. It is important to know the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of a stroke so you may focus on preventing one.

If you think you’re having a stroke, call 911.

For more information, please visit: CDC or American Heart Association.

 

Prevention of Stroke

In the United States, 1 in every 4 adults over 25 years old will experience a stroke. Stroke treatments work best if the stroke has been recognized within three hours of the symptoms. Some of the symptoms include:

• Sudden numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Strokes are preventable with the correct lifestyle choices. Some of these changes are:

• Choosing healthy food, snacks, and drinks
• Get regular physical activity
• Don’t smoke and limit alcohol use

Stay updated on current medical conditions and pay close attention to your cholesterol and blood pressure levels

Follow your doctors’ orders on any prescribed medications

For more information, please visit: CDC or American Heart Association.

Risk Factors

Risk factors are behaviors or actions that each person does consistently that could increase their chance of getting the disease, or in this case, stroke.
You are more likely to have a stroke if you have:

• High blood pressure
• A previous stroke
• High cholesterol
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Sickle cell disease

You are also more likely to have a stroke if you currently:

• Eat a diet that’s high in saturated fats (any fat that is solid at room temperature), trans fat (usually found in processed foods), and cholesterol
• Don’t get enough physical activity; you should be getting at least 30 minutes a day
• Drink too much alcohol; more than one drink a day for women or more than two a day for men
• Smoke

For more information, please visit: CDC or American Heart Association.

If you think you’re having stroke, call 911