Posted on
02 May 2010, under
Health; More Health articles...
Stroke signs
A stroke can also be called a brain attack. It is like a heart attack except that it is the brain that is affected. The blood supply to the brain is interrupted and cut off. This causes nerve cells in that part of the brain to die, which affects the body functions controlled by those brain cells. This is often the devastating consequence of stroke. Stroke is a common cause of death among Irish men.
What Causes a Stroke?
Strokes have two underlying causes: either a blockage of a brain artery or a bleed from an artery in the brain. Most strokes are caused by a blockage in one of the brain arteries as a result of the same risk factors and processes that cause heart disease, i.e. smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc. Less commonly, strokes are caused by a rupture in a brain blood vessel, which causes bleeding into the brain tissue itself. This is often caused by high blood pressure or a brain aneurysm.
An aneurysm is a weak area or bubble on a blood vessel that can be like a time bomb waiting to go off. Some people are born with aneurysms and sometimes they develop as a result of high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries.
What are the Symptoms of Stroke?
As the name suggest. Stroke is like a bolt of lightning, and can bring on sudden death. Symptoms include weakness or paralysis down one side of the body (face, arms or legs), numbness or loss of sensation in the face or limbs, and loss of bladder control, speech or vision. Other symptoms can include weakness, difficulty swallowing, face drooping to one side, dizziness, loss of balance, severe headache, difficulty speaking or understanding simple statements, and loss of vision, especially in one eye. There is potential for a certain amount of recovery in the first few weeks of a stroke, which is why expert rehabilitation with a range of different health professionals is so important.
What Type of Man is at Risk of Stroke?
• Older men – two-thirds of strokes occur in people aged over 65.
• Those with a history of heart disease, previous stroke or mini-stroke.
• Men with risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and lack of exercise, smokers and heavy drinkers.
• Those with irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation, which increases the chances of clots in the system.
• Men with a high red blood cell count, as thicker blood is more likely to clot.
• Men with a family history of stroke
Prevention of Stroke
You can reduce your chances of getting a stroke by making certain changes in your lifestyle, especially by not smoking and controlling high blood pressure. If you have high cholesterol, lowering your cholesterol levels may also reduce your risk. Your doctor may tell you to change your lifestyle as well as prescribing medication to lower your blood pressure or cholesterol. Aspirin or warfarin is often used to prevent clotting and reduce the risk of stroke.
Mini-Strokes
These are also known as transient ischemic attacks or TIA’s, brought on when an artery in the brain becomes temporarily blocked. This can cause symptoms similar to a stroke but the symptoms disappear without any permanent damage within 24 hours. This is the key difference between a TIA and a stroke. However a TIA is a warning sign that you are at much greater risk of a stroke in the future. Therefore it is an early warning sign that you need to sit up and take notice of your health, and work with your doctor to do all that can be done to prevent a stroke later on.
Dr. Mark Rowe
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