Stroke

Stroke (kiharusi)

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing brain tissue to die.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of adult disabili

Risk factors for stroke

Age is the single most important risk factor for stroke. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke.

Anyone can have a stroke at any age. Your chances of having a stroke increase if you have certain risk factors. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from a stroke is to understand your risk and how to manage it.

Some of the risk factors for stroke cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you cancontrol.

High blood pressure is major risk factor for stroke. It occurs when the pressure of the blood in the arteries is too high.

Many common medical conditions can increase your risk for stroke. Work with your health care team to control your risk.

Previous Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
If you have already had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a "mini-stroke," your chances of having another stroke are higher.

High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke. It occurs when the pressure of the blood in your arteries and other blood vessels is too high.

There are often no symptoms to signal high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure by changes in lifestyle or by medication can reduce your risk for stroke.

High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by the liver or found in certain foods. Your liver makes enough for your body’s needs, but we often get more cholesterol from the foods we eat. If we take in more cholesterol than the body can use, the extra cholesterol can build up in the arteries, including those of the brain. This can lead to narrowing of the arteries, stroke, and other problems.

A blood test can detect of the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides (a related kind of fat) in your blood.

Heart Disease
Common heart disorders can increase your risk for stroke. For example, coronary artery disease increases your risk for stroke because plaque builds up in the arteries and blocks the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Other heart conditions, such as heart valve defects, irregular heartbeat (including atrial fibrillation), and enlarged heart chambers, can cause blood clots that may break loose and cause a stroke.

Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus also increases the risk for stroke. Your body needs glucose (sugar) for energy. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas that helps move glucose from the food you eat to your body's cells. If you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin, can’t use its own insulin as well as it should, or both.

Diabetes causes sugars to build up in the blood. Talk to your doctor about ways to manage diabetes and control other risk factors.

Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder associated withischemic stroke that mainly affects black and Hispanic children. The disease causes some red blood cells to form an abnormal sickle shape. A stroke can happen if sickle cells get stuck in a blood vessel and block the flow of blood to the brain.

Diets high in saturated fats, trans fat, sodium, and cholesterol have been linked to stroke and related conditions. Make the healthy choice.

Your lifestyle choices can influence your risk for stroke. To reduce your risk, your doctor may recommend changes to your lifestyle.

The good news is that healthy behaviors can lower your risk for stroke.

Unhealthy Diet
Diets high in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol have been linked to stroke and related conditions, such as heart disease. Also, too much salt (sodium) in the diet can raise blood pressure levels.

Physical Inactivity
Not getting enough physical activity can increase the chances of having other risk factors for stroke, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Regular physical activity can lower your risk for stroke.

Obesity
Obesity is excess body fat. Obesity is linked to higher "bad" cholesterol and triglyceride levels and to lower "good" cholesterol levels. In addition to heart disease, obesity can also lead to high blood pressure and diabetes.

Too Much Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure levels and the risk for stroke. It also increases levels of triglycerides, a form of fat in your blood, which can harden your arteries.

Women should have no more than 1 drink a day.
Men should have no more than 2 drinks a day.
Tobacco Use
Tobacco use increases the risk for stroke. Cigarette smoking can damage the heart and blood vessels, which increases your risk for stroke. Also, nicotine raises blood pressure, and carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry. Exposure to other people’s secondhand smoke can increase the risk for stroke even for nonsmokers.

Family members share genes, behaviors, lifestyles, and environments that can influence their health and their risk for disease. Stroke risk can be higher in some families than in others, and your risk for stroke can increase based on your age, sex, and race or ethnicity.

Genetics and Family History
When members of a family pass traits from one generation to another through genes, that process is called heredity.

Genetic factors likely play some role in high blood pressure, stroke, and other related conditions. Several genetic disorders can cause a stroke, including sickle cell disease. It also is likely that people with a family history of stroke share common environments and other potential factors that increase their risk.

The risk for stroke can increase even more when heredity combines with unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking cigarettes and eating an unhealthy diet.

Signs and symptoms of stroke

Woman holding her head.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause is a stroke sign in men and women.

During a stroke, every minute counts! Fast treatmentcan reduce the brain damage that stroke can cause.

By knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke, you can be prepared to take quick action and perhaps save a life—maybe even your own. Watch a video about stroke signs and symptoms from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Signs of Stroke in Men and Women
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.

Acting F.A.S.T. Is Key for Stroke
Acting F.A.S.T. can help stroke patients get thetreatments they desperately need. The most effective stroke treatments are only available if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms. Stroke patients may not be eligible for the most effective treatments if they don’t arrive at the hospital in time.

If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T.1 and do the following simple test:

F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
T—Time: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Note the time when any symptoms first appear. Some treatments for stroke only work if given in the first 3 hours after symptoms appear. Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.

Types of trocke

An illustration showing how a blood vessel can burst within the brain causing a hemorrhagic stroke, and how a blood clot within an artery of the brain can cause an ischemic stroke.

The main types of stroke are

Ischemic stroke.
Hemorrhagic stroke.
Transient ischemic attack (a warning or “mini-stroke”).
Ischemic Stroke
Most strokes (85%) are ischemic strokes.1 If you have an ischemic stroke, the artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain becomes blocked.

Blood clots often cause the blockages that lead to ischemic strokes.

Hemorrhagic Stroke
A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures (breaks open). The leaked blood puts too much pressure on brain cells, which damages them.

High blood pressure and aneurysms—balloon-like bulges in an artery that can stretch and burst—are examples of conditions that can cause a hemorrhagic stroke.

There are two types of hemorrhagic strokes:

Intracerebral hemorrhage is the most common type of hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when an artery in the brain bursts, flooding the surrounding tissue with blood.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a less common type of hemorrhagic stroke. It refers to bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover it.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is sometimes called a "mini-stroke." It is different from the major types of stroke because blood flow to the brain is blocked for only a short time—usually no more than 5 minutes.

How to prevent stroke

Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

You can help prevent stroke by making healthy lifestyle choices. A healthy lifestyle includes the following:

Eating a healthy diet.
Maintaining a healthy weight.
Getting enough exercise.
Not smoking.
Limiting alcohol use.
Healthy Diet
Choosing healthy meal and snack options can help you avoid stroke and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Eating foods low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high cholesterol. Limiting salt (sodium) in your diet also can lower your blood pressure.

If you have heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes you can take steps to lower your risk for stroke.

Other medical conditions

Check Cholesterol
Your health care provider should test your cholesterol levels at least once every 5 years. Talk with your health care team about this simple blood test. If you have high cholesterol, medications and lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk for stroke.

Control Blood Pressure
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so be sure to have it checked on a regular basis. Talk to your health care team about how often you should check your levels. You can check your blood pressure at home, at a doctor’s office, or at a pharmacy.

If you have high blood pressure, your doctor might prescribe medication, recommend some changes in your lifestyle, or advise you to lower the levels of salt in your diet.

Manage Diabetes
If your health care provider thinks you have symptoms of diabetes, he or she may recommend that you get tested. If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels carefully. Talk with your health care team about treatment options. Your doctor may recommend certain lifestyle changes to help keep your blood sugar under good control—those actions will help reduce your risk for stroke.

Manage Heart Disease
If you have certain heart conditions, such as atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), your health care team may recommend medical treatment or surgery. Taking care of heart problems can help prevent stroke.

Take Your Medicine
If you take medication to treat heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully. Always ask questions if you don’t understand something. Never stop taking your medication without talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

Talk with Your Health Care Team
You and your health care team can work together to prevent or treat the medical conditions that lead to stroke. Discuss your treatment plan regularly, and bring a list of questions to your appointments.

If you’ve already had a stroke or TIA, your health care team will work with you to prevent further strokes. Your treatment plan will include medications or surgery and lifestyle changes to reduce your risk for another stroke. Be sure to take your medications as directed and follow your doctor’s instructions.

By well Jambo