Facts About Strokes

• Strokes is due to a blood clot or bleeding in the brain
• An Strokes suddenly causes infertile half-sided symptoms due to a stop in blood flow to the brain
• 90% of all people with apoplexy have very characteristic symptoms:
  • facial paralysis
  • Half-sided paralysis or disturbances in the arm and / or legs
  • Disturbance of speech
  • Disturbances of vision

What are Strokes?

• An stroke (stroke) occurs when blood flow to a region of the brain is reduced or stopped
• Brain cells begin to die within minutes after they have lost their vital nutrient supply (especially oxygen) – a process that continues over the next hours
• This can be a life threatening condition, and help should be called immediately
• Background
  • Symptoms typically occur in seconds to few minutes
  • It may be a bleeding or more often a blood clot
  • A bleeding can occur as a result of high blood pressure or malformation of the vessels
  • A blood clot may occur on the spot, most frequently due to atherosclerosis (most common)
  • Alternatively, the blood clot comes from another place in the body where the blood solidifies, for example in the heart
• Quick help is important
  • The faster the help, the less the damage could be
  • Medicines that can dissolve the blood clot should be given within 4.5 hours
  • In case of bleeding, surgery or rapid blood pressure control can be life-saving
  • The longer an apoplexy remains untreated, the greater the damage and loss of function
  • Successful treatment depends on how quickly the patient is being treated
• Risk factors for strokes are:
  • High age
  • High blood pressure
  • Earlier apoplexy
  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease, especially irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)
  • High cholesterol
  • Overweight
  • Too little exercise
  • Hereditary factors
  • High intake of alcohol
  • Certain drugs

Warning Signs of Stroke

• The signs below may indicate an apoplexy or a transient case of reduced blood supply to parts of the brain (called TCI)
• Contact a doctor immediately if any of the following occurs:
  • Sudden weakness on the face, arm or leg on one side of the body
  • Sudden loss of sight to one side
  • Loss of ability to speak, difficulty speaking or understanding speech
  • Suddenly powerful headache – “like a lightning from clear skies” – for no apparent reason
  • Inexplicable dizziness or difficulty in breathing, especially if it is accompanied by one or more of the other symptoms
  • At the earliest possibility, the person must be hospitalised immediately