STROKE

.........Hi.....Howdy!!! Fine I suppose. Hope you had a swell time at work ( or school) as the case may be.

We have heard so much about misconceptions about stroke, now it's time to know and understand what stroke is, who it affects , symptoms etc.

YOU HAVE TO BE STROKE SMART!!!!! The 3Rs

 - Reduce your risk of having stroke

-  Recognise the stroke symptoms 

-  Respond at the first sign of stroke by getting to the hospital

STROKE FACTS

- It is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. ( local figures not available)

- It is the leading cause of adult disability

- Up to 80% of all strokes are preventable

- On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40seconds in the U.S.( it's that common)

DEFINITION

- Sudden brain damage

-  Lack of blood flow to the brain caused by a clot or rupture of a vessel 

- Causes death and does not resolve within 24 hours

- Also known as brain attack.

There are two types viz:

1. Ischaemic ( clot formation). This makes up about 87% of all strokes. A clot forms in the blood vessel and blocks the blood supply to the brain leading to death of the certain tissues in the brain.

2. Haemorrhagic ( bleeding). A blood vessels swells and eventually bursts leading to bleeding into or around the brain. This occurs at the peak of activity like playing.

PREDISPOSING FACTORS

- Hypertension

- Diabetes

- Obesity

- Smoking

-Sickle cell anaemia

SYMPTOMS

- Sudden death or loss of consciousness ( hehehehe! Is death a symptom? A beg no ask me ooo)

- Sudden and sever headache

- Trouble seeing in one or both eyes

- Sudden dizziness or trouble walking

- Trouble speaking or sudden confusion

- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg

IN THIS CASE, DELAY IS DANGEROUS AS EVERY MINUTE COUNTS. YOU SHOULD SEEK HELP IMMEDIATELY.

Stoke strikes FAST

Stroke is a serious condition which strikes FAST, you have to be FAST too

F: Face. Ask patient to smile

A: Arm. Ask to raise arm

S: Speech. Ask to speak a simple sentence

T: Time. If you observe any irregularity, call for help immediately and get the person into the hospital as fast as you can

TRANSIENT ISCHAEMIC ATTACK

- Looks like stroke

- Resolves within minutes to hours

- It is a warning sign of a future stroke

PREVENTION OF STROKE

Lies in our hands. Below are the guidelines.

1. Know your Blood pressure. If elevated, see a doctor to achieve control

2. Stop smoking

3. Drink alcohol in moderation

4. If Diabetic, make sure your blood sugar is well controlled 

5. If your cholesterol levels are high, get it under control. ( not by yourself o, see a doctor)

6. Exercise daily

7. Eat low salt diet( or you may forgo salt patapata), and low fat diets

DELAY IS DANGEROUS

Reasons why people delay in our community

 - There is low stroke awareness, therefore people don't see need for action

- There is poor faith in Orthodox medicine. People would rather visit spiritualists.

- Financial constraints. How can you go to the hospital when you don't have money?

- Poor healthcare facilities

TREATMENT

This depends on the type of stroke. Treatment should be sought only in hospitals with qualified personnel.

RECOVERY

- 10% of survivors recover almost completely

- 25% with minor impairments e.g facial asymmetry 

- 50& experience moderate to severe impairments e.g loss of bowel or bladder control, paralysis, speech defect

- 15% die shortly after the stroke

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH STROKE

Physical: e.g paralysis, speech defect, eating difficulties

Psychological: depression, anger

Financial: liability/ dependent

Note: Caregivers are adviced to be extremely patient with stroke survivors. I know it's not an easy task that you are doing, but please be kind to them.

I hope this piece has enlightened us more about stroke. We should therefore be the drivers of our own lives, take charge and make a decision to live a healthy lifestyle.

Thanks so much for your time. Ciao.

References

National Stroke Association

Www.stroke.org

Photos from Google