Stroke
A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked by a clot, or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and bleeds. Brain cells start to die within minutes, so a stroke is a medical emergency. High blood pressure is the biggest cause. Fast treatment in hospital can save life and reduce disability.
Symptoms
- Face drooping on one side
- Weakness or numbness of an arm or leg, usually on one side of the body
- Trouble speaking: slurred or confused speech, or not understanding others
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Sudden severe headache, dizziness or loss of balance
- Remember FAST: Face, Arm, Speech, Time to go to hospital
Causes
- High blood pressure (the most important cause)
- Diabetes
- Smoking and naswar
- High cholesterol
- Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)
- Heart disease, including rheumatic heart disease
- Older age and family history
Prevention
- Check your blood pressure regularly and take blood pressure medicines every day if prescribed
- Stop smoking and naswar
- Control diabetes and cholesterol
- Eat less salt and oily food, and more vegetables and fruit
- Be active every day
- If you have an irregular heartbeat, ask your doctor about blood-thinning medicine
Treatment
- Go to hospital immediately: some stroke treatments only work within the first few hours
- A brain scan (CT) is needed to tell a clot from bleeding before treatment
- Medicines to prevent another stroke, prescribed by a doctor
- Physiotherapy and speech therapy to regain movement and speech
- Long-term control of blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol
- Do not give food, water or medicines by mouth until the person's swallowing has been checked
Common questions
The weakness went away after a few minutes. Do I still need a doctor?
Yes, urgently. This may be a mini-stroke (TIA), a warning that a major stroke may follow within days. Go to hospital the same day.
Can a person recover after a stroke?
Many people regain much of their movement and speech, especially in the first months, with physiotherapy, practice and family support. Recovery depends on the size and place of the stroke and on how fast it was treated.