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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye

Recognizing a stroke

Strokes are caused by a sudden stoppage of the blood supply to part of the brain. They are usually the result of a blood clot or a ruptured artery, and vary in severity: some leave no lasting effects, others cause paralysis on one side of the body, and some prove instantly fatal. Although more common in ederly people, people who smoke, have High blood pressure, or take the combined oral contraceptive pill are at increased risk of having a stroke. First-aid treatment aims to maintain breathing and circulation until the emergency services arrive.

What causes a stroke?

Generally, strokes tend to affect older people, and people with high blood pressure or a circulatory problem.

There are also a number of other factors that can increase a person's risk of having a stroke. These include taking the combined oral contraceptive pill, having a high blood cholesterol, being diabetic, smoking, and being overweight.

How to recognize a stroke

Sometimes there may be prior warning signs of an imminent stroke, with the person feeling very unwell and suffering a severe headache and copious vomiting. initial symptoms usually happen quickly over minutes or hours, and the situation may deteriorate progressively over several days.

Usually, the part of the body affected is on the opposite side to the side of the brain affected. lf the person is right-handed then a left-sided stroke will usually affect their speech. If left-handed, the opposite is true. Occasionally a person may be totally unaware that they have a right or left side at all. For example, they might only eat food on the side of the plate that they are aware of.

Can stroke be prevented?

Although none of us can escape the increased risk of having a stroke that comes with growing older, there are a number of measures we can take to reduce the risk.
Smoking increases the risk of a stroke Smoking increases the risk of a stroke occurring by several hundredfold, and high blood pressure is also closely linked to a higher chance of having a stroke.

People with high levels of Cholesterol and other fats in their blood will develop atheroscicrosis; this causes a build-up of a fatty substance that blocks the arteries and may cause a stroke, amongst other diseases. All these factors can be controlled by diet, exercise, abstention from smoking and, if necessarywith drugs.