Published on Feb 09, 2016 and last reviewed on Apr 28, 2022 - 5 min read
Abstract
Stroke is the third leading cause of death today. There are many complications associated with a stroke, which will disturb the day-to-day activities of a person or the family members. Every person must be aware of the signs and symptoms of stroke to save the patient's life. For better protection, a person should know the risk factors of stroke, how to reduce the risk factors, warning signs, and what to do if warning signs appear.
Stroke is also referred to as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or brain attack. It means that there is an insult or disturbance in the blood supply of the brain, which leads to neurological function loss. Stroke may cause permanent disability to one or two or all four extremities.
Complications with stroke are abnormalities found with vision, paralysis (inability to move the limb or complete flaccidity) or paraparesis that is, weakness of muscles in one or more extremities, difficulties in speech such as difficulties found in formulation and understanding, gait abnormalities, severe headache, confusion, sudden loss of balance, etc. Hemiplegia - paralysis of one side of the body is a major drawback of stroke. Post-stroke disability is the major complication of stroke.
Types of Stroke:
Hemorrhage (bleeding due to injury) and ischemia (lack of blood supply) are the major causes for the disturbance of blood supply in the brain.
Signs and Symptoms of Stroke:
Signs and symptoms of stroke depend upon the area of the brain affected. The most common areas involved in developing stroke are anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, internal carotid artery, posterior cerebral artery (lacunar syndrome), vertebrobasilar artery, etc. In stroke, many focal deficits are present such as changes in the level of consciousness and abnormal motor, sensory, cognitive, perceptual, and language functions.
Risk Factors for Stroke:
Some of the major causes responsible for stroke are as follows:
Warning Signs of Stroke:
Early warning signs given by the National Stroke Association are as follows:
1) Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA):
2) High Blood Pressure:
High blood pressure increases four to five times the risk of stroke. If blood pressure is above 160/95 mmHg, then it is a warning sign for stroke.
3) Weakness of Limb or Side of the Face:
The above-stated signs may appear before a stroke. Person and his relatives are encouraged to call the emergency department, even if these symptoms go away quickly and are painless. When you find these symptoms, please note the time, as this information is very important for doctors.
During a stroke, time is everything. Stroke needs immediate emergency treatment to prevent permanent focal defects in the brain. Morbidity and mortality rates are high with stroke. If treatment is not given as early as possible, chances for disabilities are more.
How to Diagnose a Stroke?
Management After the Appearance of Warning Signs:
If a patient gets stroke due to atherothrombotic reason, then the person should take a clot-dissolving enzyme such as Tissue plasminogen activator [tPA] 50 - 100 mg once daily or Urokinase or Prourokinase. tPA should be administered within 3 hours of the onset of signs and symptoms of stroke. It must be used in atherothrombotic stroke. It is strongly contraindicated in hemorrhagic stroke because it may increase blood loss. Researchers have proved that a person who was treated with tissue plasminogen did not get any disability or minimum disability as compared to those who did not receive the treatment.
The above-stated medications are used in emergency treatment. Right recognition, right decision, right treatment at right time may save an individual’s life!
If you would like to gather more information about the warning signs of stroke and its emergency management then consult a stroke specialist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/neurologist/stroke
The silent signs of stroke can be known by understanding the mnemonic “FAST,” which means
- Face - To check the drooping of the face.
- Arms - Raise both arms and notice if one drops down.
- Speech - Check for slurred or strange speech.
- Time - If any of the signs is present, call the emergency number without any delay and note down the time when symptoms first started.
The very first signs of stroke are sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, usually only on one side of the body. Followed by other symptoms, which include sudden confusion, trouble speaking, and impaired vision in one or both eyes. Moreover, patients experience difficulty in walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
Drinking enough water regularly can prevent stroke by avoiding dehydration. A person should drink a minimum of five glasses per day which can reduce the risk of stroke by 50 %. The water helps in keeping the blood less viscous, thus preventing stroke.
Some of the steps can be followed if the person is having a stroke - call an emergency number or call for help, then note the time of onset of symptoms, perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) if needed, ensure the patient does not sleep, do not give any food, drinks or medicines and do not let the patient drive alone or go to the emergency room by himself.
The warning signs of stroke may appear as early as a few hours to a week before the attack. And if a person notices any of the signs, they should go for urgent treatment to prevent any brain damage or other complications.
Some of the main causes of stroke are high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes. Other factors such as age, race, family, gender, and some medications can also increase the risk of stroke.
A stroke can cause sudden and severe headaches, which is the only painful symptom noticed by the person. Around 10 to 60 % of the people undergoing stroke can experience this symptom. And it is also difficult in some cases to differentiate between the pain of stroke-related headaches and migraine.
Stroke symptoms can go away on their own, but it is still a medical emergency, and the patient should get medical advice as soon as possible. Because every stroke is a medical emergency. During a stroke, the blood flow to the brain gets interrupted, which can cause the death of brain cells.
There are various reasons which put you at risk of stroke, which includes being overweight, drinking habit, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular diseases such as heart defects, infection or irregular heartbeat, and a history of stroke in the family.
The stroke can last for a few minutes to 24 hours. Some symptoms may resolve immediately which is generally common, but in some cases, the patient may experience symptoms for up to 24 hours and which may still persist even after receiving treatment.
Some of the factors that can lead to stroke in the bathroom are toilet strain during defecation, no sequenced bath or shower (wetting of head or hair first), water temperature (cold water in winter is one of the causes of stroke), and slipping in the bathroom can cause injury to head and cause bleeding.
A wake-up stroke occurs during sleep. In this condition, the person goes to bed feeling normal but wakes up with stroke symptoms. Wake-up stroke is the same as other strokes but turns out to be more dangerous as the onset of symptoms is unknown, and the treatment is delayed as the patient is sleeping.
Last reviewed at:
28 Apr 2022 - 5 min read
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