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PharmEasy Blog

Stroke: Symptoms And Treatments

According to WHO, around 15 million people suffer a stroke annually. Of these 5 million die and a significant number of the remaining population suffer a disability for a lifetime due to stroke. This not only affects the individual but the entire family. Read further to understand how strokes are caused and if there is a way to prevent them.

Strokes are caused when one or more blood vessels present in the brain get ruptured and bleed or if they get clogged, blocking the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. As a result of the lack of oxygen in the brain, the cells and tissues in the brain stop functioning and begin to die within seconds of the occurrence.

Strokes are a leading cause of death among middle-aged and older individuals and every year thousands of people are reported to have died because of it. 

What are the different types of strokes?

Strokes are of three main types

• Ischemic Stroke
  Ischemic Stroke is caused due to a blood vessel getting blocked by a clot or plaque deposition in the artery. This type of stroke has more health complications compared to the other types and may have permanent effects on the patient. 

• Transient Ischemic Attack
  Transient Ischemic Attack or TIA is a condition where the body undergoes stroke-like symptoms for a brief period of time and usually resolves on its own. Transient Ischemic Attacks can be a precursor of future possibilities of a stroke. 

• Hemorrhagic Stroke
  Hemorrhagic stroke is caused when a blood vessel gets haemorrhaged or ruptured and bleeds into the brain.

Who is at a greater risk of having a stroke?

Some individuals are potentially at a higher risk of suffering from a stroke than others. Several factors come into play when determining who is at greater risk like gender, ethnicity, age etc. Main cause in the majority of cases is high/uncontrolled blood pressure.

 Men are supposedly at a higher risk of suffering from strokes than women while Hispanics and African Americans are more susceptible to strokes than people of other races. What are these factors? Let us find out about some of them so that they can be treated at the earliest.

1. Overweight individuals or people suffering from obesity.
2. People on hormonal pills.
3. Excessive alcohol consumption
4. People with a history of drug abuse.
5. Individuals over the age of 55.
6. High blood pressure
7. Chain-smoking
8. Individuals with Diabetes or Pre Diabetes.
9. People with a family history of suffering from strokes.
10. High cholesterol levels
11. Lack of physical activity
12. Consumption of an unbalanced diet saturated with fatty and salty food items regularly
13. People with existing heart conditions.
14. Individuals suffering from sleep apnea.

What are the visual symptoms of a stroke?

The symptoms of a stroke may appear out of the blue or the body may be giving signs due in advance. Regardless of that, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of a stroke so that one can seek help when in need. While it is difficult to identify the internal signs that a body gives before suffering from a stroke, here are 9 external symptoms that can be easily assessed. 

1. The acronym ‘FAST’

F- Face drooping

A-Arm weakness

S- Speech disorientation

T- Time to act

2. Headache along with vomiting

3. Weakness or numbness on one or both sides of the body

4. Uncontrolled bladder or bowel movements

5. Confusion

6. Paralysis or immobility in parts of the face, arms, legs or all of them together, particularly on one side of the body.

7. Faint headedness and difficulty in coordination, especially walking. 

8. Difficulty lifting an arm to its full capacity

9.  Temporary vision loss

How to care for a person who has suffered/is suffering from a stroke?

Here are some ways of caring for a person who is suffering from a stroke:

1. Call for medical help immediately.
2. Do not give the patient any food or drink.
3. Make note of the time when the symptoms are first seen.
4. Do not let the patient go to sleep and try to keep them alert.
5. Take prompt action.

Always remember- every second counts and early intervention by a doctor can increase the chances of a positive outcome

The following are some ways you can care for a person who has suffered a stroke and needs rehabilitation:

1. Follow the prescribed treatment and do regular follow-ups with a neurologist. Furthermore, inform your doctor if you have any history of allergy to medicines (if experienced in the past).
2. Speech therapy for increasing the ability of understanding speech and speaking.
3. Physiotherapy for increasing the mobility of the body.
4. Forming associations with support groups consisting of people who have undergone the same or the family members of patients.
5. Supporting the patient mentally as it can be really difficult to go back to being normal.

Tips for reducing the chances of suffering from a stroke

Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, it is important to follow some tips to reduce the risk of occurrence of a stroke, especially among people who are more prone to it. 

• Leading an active lifestyle
• Consuming a balanced diet
• Maintaining a healthy body weight 
• Avoiding smoking 
• Limiting alcohol consumption
• Keep a check on blood pressure 

These measures are usually the basics of living a healthy lifestyle.

The health of the different organs of your body is to a large extent dependent on your lifestyle choices. So by being cautious, you can do your body a huge favour.

Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

How To Plan For A Medical Emergency?

Life as we know it is unpredictable. We never really know when a medical emergency will strike. In short, we must ‘expect the unexpected’. We should, therefore be ready and prepared to deal with it. Sometimes things happen so quickly that we do not have the time to process all of them. Knowing what to do in case of a medical emergency will enable us to think more clearly and help us manage the situation rather than just fret and worry over it.

The following tips will help aid your preparation for a medical emergency:

1. Have a well-equipped first aid box both at home and at your workplace: ”Prevention is better than cure”. Make sure your first aid box contains antiseptic solution/cream, sterile cotton, gauze, adhesive plasters, roller bandage, scissors, basic pain killers and thermometer. Check for their expiry dates. Keep it at a place that’s accessible and safe.
2. Always have your personal details on you: Have a card enlisting some of the important information like your name, contact number, address, blood group, any diseases you are suffering from, list of medications that you’re on, your doctor’s name, person to contact in case of an emergency, etc.
3. Save important contacts: Put down a list of people you can contact in case of an emergency. These should include numbers of nearby hospitals, doctors, neighbours, friends and relatives.
4. Be aware of the medical services and medical professionals near you: Several websites provide you with a complete database of doctors along with their specialities, clinic/hospital address, contact numbers and timings.
5. Maintain a file for your medical records: Do not discard any reports or prescriptions. File all of it – X-rays, CT scans, MRI, etc.
6. Invest in Medical Insurance: A lot of people are sceptical about buying medical insurance. However, given the current cost of healthcare, you should invest in medical insurance. There are several health insurances available and you can always ask an agent to suggest the right one for you. Make sure to read the terms and conditions of the insurance.
7. Get some basic training: Take the time out to undertake some basic life support courses. They are conducted by hospitals all over. CPR can mean life and death when dealing with an unresponsive person or someone whose heart has stopped working.
8. Common knowledge can save lives: Knowing the symptoms of some of the common medical emergencies can go a long way in saving someone’s life. The 6 common medical emergencies include heart attack, breathing difficulties, seizures, traumatic head injuries, stroke and burns.

Heart Attack: Treatment within the first 90 minutes dramatically increases the chances of survival. Get the person to chew and swallow an Aspirin if he/she is not allergic to it. Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is not needed unless the heart attack victim goes into cardiac arrest, which means they are unconscious and have stopped breathing. If this happens, CPR will keep the blood circulating while you wait for the ambulance or for someone to get a defibrillator.

In my experience best way to protect against medical emergency is to get regular health check ups , as prevention is better than cure.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Breathing Difficulties: Ensure that the person is in an open space. Loosen all tight clothing. Check for airway and pulse to determine if CPR can be administered.

Seizures: Move all dangerous objects away from the person. Cushion their head on a soft object and check for their breathing.

Traumatic Head Injury: Immediately call for medical help. Check for the person’s airway and breathing. If there is bleeding, firmly compress the area. Apply ice packs if there is swelling.

Stroke: Call for medical aid if you notice symptoms like slurred speech, facial and arm weakness, dizziness, severe headache and blurring of vision. The treatment has to be administered within 3-4 hours to ensure the survival of the victim.

An individual should be familiar with the basics of first-aid, in case of an emergency- reaching out to a hospital’s helpline number and doing CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) if need be and if the expertise is available, can be important to save a life in case of a cardiac emergency.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D

Burns: First aid for burns varies depending on the cause of the burn. If the burn is because of heat, pour cold water over it, until there is relief from pain. Cover with a sterile dressing. If the burn is caused by an electrical shock, make sure to turn off the power before you rescue the victim. Assess the need to provide CPR. If the burns are due to spillage of chemicals, clean the skin with a cloth or gloved hands.

• Keep your medicine cabinet well-stocked: Stock up basic medicines enough to last a week

Things to do in an Emergency Situation:

• Remain calm and focused: If you find yourself panicking, stop and take a few deep breaths. If you are accompanying an injured person who is agitated or confused, reassure him/her if possible.

Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.

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