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.