Do you know stroke can happen to anyone? At anytime?
You say ha!! It’s true.
Stroke is a medical emergency that many consider happens to people in the in their old age 60+, they are not wrong really, but it can happen to anyone. Younger people are coming down more with stroke, it is believed that dyslipidemia, smoking, inadequate sleep and hypertension, are among the factors causing stroke in the in the young population.
It is among the top 5 cause of deaths in men and 3rd leading cause of death in women. The Work Stroke organisation have stated that women are at a higher risk of having stroke and are more likely to die from It.
It occurs when blood flow is cut off from an area of the brain, this leads to a deprivation of the brain cells of oxygen leading to the death of the brain cells. Now when this happen, abilities controlled by that area of the brain is lost.
More than 2/3rd of the survivors of stroke will have some type of disability, and a lot of people never recover fully.
Types: There are 2 main types of stroke plus1 referred to as mini stroke: haemorrhagic,ischemic and transient ischemic attacks.
- Haemorrhagic – this is caused either by a brain aneurysm burst or a weakened blood vessel leak. Blood spills into and around the brain causing swelling, damaging cells and tissue in the brain. There are 2 ways in which it also occurs; intracerebral and subarachnoid.
- Ischemic – This occurs when the blood vessel carrying blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot, causing blood not to reach the brain. It occurs in 2 ways as well embolic and thrombotic.
- Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)- Also referred to as a mini-stroke, it occurs after blood flow fails to reach part of the brain. Normal blood flow resumes after a short amount of time, and symptoms cease.
Treatment: Both types have different treatment as they are caused differently.
For Ischaemic– Treatment starts with drugs that break down clots and prevent others from forming. Aspirin can be given, as can an injection of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA).
For haemorrhagic-Treatment can begin with drugs given to reduce the pressure in the brain, control overall blood pressure, prevent seizures and prevent sudden constrictions of blood vessels.
The best way to prevent a stroke is to address the underlying causes, which is achieved through lifestyle changes, including:eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, not smoking tobacco, avoiding alcohol or drinking moderately, Eating a nutritious diet means including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and healthy whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Other measures taken to help reduce the risk of stroke include:keeping blood pressure under control, managing diabetes and treating obstructive sleep apnea.
The main symptoms of stroke are:
Confusion, headache, numbness, vision problems, trouble walking.
The acronym F.A.S.T. is a way to remember the signs of stroke, and can help identify the onset of stroke:
F- Face drooping
A- Arm weakness
S- Speech difficulty
T- Time to contact the hospital or emergency
References:
- https://t.guardian.ng/news/women-have-higher-risk-of-stroke-than-men-says-world-stroke-organisation/
- https://www.dovepress.com/strokes-in-young-adults-epidemiology-and-prevention-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-VHRM
- https://t.guardian.ng/news/why-more-nigerians-are-coming-down-with-stroke/
- http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/impact-stroke/women-and-stroke