First Aid For Strokes

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
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