Have you been experiencing a Stroke? Here is what you need to do to avoid having a stroke. A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks the blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.

In either case, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death. Learn about the health conditions and lifestyle habits that can increase your risk for stroke.

Stroke is a cerebrovascular disease. This means it affects the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the brain. If the brain does not get enough oxygen, damage can begin to occur. This is a medical emergency. Although many strokes are treatable, some can lead to disability or death.

At a recent health conference at the Lagos City office of The Sun Publishing Limited, Dr Bertha Chioma Ekeh, Consultant Neurologist, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Uyo University, shed some light on this health problem and described some lifestyle changes that can help prevent a stroke. Here are the highlights of his submissions.

Stroke Statistics/Impacts

One in four people will have a stroke in their lifetime. It is a public health emergency. Every six seconds someone somewhere dies of a stroke. Six million people die each year from a stroke. It has a high mortality rate. There is also a heavy disability burden for people who have suffered a stroke.

Causes and risk factors

Each type of stroke has a different set of potential causes. However, stroke is more likely to affect a person if they are overweight or obese, age 55 or older, have a personal or family history of stroke, and have high blood pressure and diabetes.

Other causes include high cholesterol, high blood sugar, heart disease, carotid artery disease or another vascular disease, sedentary life, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and illicit drug use.

Some studies have shown that men have a higher risk of death from stroke than women. Stroke mortality risk often increases due to age and demographics, rather than biological differences between men and women.

According to a 2016 analysis, African Americans have a significantly higher risk of having a first stroke. They are also about 60% more likely to have another stroke within two years.

Types of stroke

Ischemic stroke: This is the most common type of stroke, accounting for 87% of all cases. A blood clot prevents blood and oxygen from reaching an area of the brain. Hemorrhagic stroke: This occurs when a blood vessel ruptures. These are usually the result of aneurysms or arteriovenous malformations ()

Transient ischemic attack (TIA): This occurs when there is insufficient blood flow to part of the brain for a short period of time. Normal blood flow resumes after a short time and symptoms resolve without treatment. Some people call it a mini-stroke.

TIAs only briefly interrupt blood flow to the brain. They are similar to ischemic strokes, in that they occur due to clots. People should treat them as medical emergencies, even if the symptoms are temporary.

They serve as warning signs for future strokes and indicate a partially blocked artery or clot source in the heart. More than a third of people who suffer from it have a major STROKE within a year if they do not receive any treatment. About ten to 15% of people will have a major stroke within three months of experiencing a TIA.

Stroke symptoms

Symptoms of a STROKE often appear without warning. Some of the main symptoms include confusion, difficulty speaking and understanding speech, and a headache that may impair consciousness or vomiting.

Other symptoms are numbness or inability to move parts of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, vision problems in one or both eyes and difficulty walking, including dizziness and lack of coordination.

Stroke can lead to long-term health problems. Depending on the promptness of diagnosis and treatment, a person may experience temporary or permanent disabilities after a stroke.

Some people may also experience problems with bladder or bowel control, depression, paralysis or weakness on one or both sides of the body, and difficulty controlling or expressing their emotions. Symptoms vary and can vary in severity. Learning the acronym “FAST” is a good way to remember the symptoms of a stroke. This can help a person seek prompt treatment. FAST means:

•Droopy face: If the person tries to smile, does one side of their face droop?
• Arm weakness: If the person tries to raise both arms, does one of them drift down?
•Slurred speech: If the person tries to repeat a simple sentence, is their speech slurred or unusual?
• Time to act: If any of these symptoms occur, contact emergency services immediately.

The outcome depends on how quickly a person receives treatment. Prompt care also means they would be less likely to suffer permanent brain damage or die.

Stroke Prevention

Primary prevention remains the most important factor in reducing the burden of stroke. “The best stroke is the one you’ve never had,” Dr Ekeh reiterated. Hypertension is the most common and recognizable modifiable risk factor. Control of all modifiable risk factors is very important and lifestyle modification is relevant.

Secondary prevention involves knowing your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Changing your lifestyle is important if you want to prevent strokes. These modifications include a healthy African diet, eating fresh foods, eating unprocessed and minimally processed foods, avoiding canned and packaged foods, consuming vegetable oils, eating fruits and vegetables, and drinking water instead of sodas. and sugary drinks.

Lifestyle changes also include changing your eating habits. You should boil, steam, roast or grill your food, reduce salt intake, boil your rice without salt, cook without oil, reduce alcohol intake, or eat and drink well.

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is another way to reduce your risk of stroke. Types of NEAT include using the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car remotely, and going up and down stairs for your visitors’ enjoyment and view. You can also walk around while making calls, stand while watching TV, do household chores, work with standing tables instead of sitting for a long time, and use a pedometer to count your daily steps. Sitting is the new smoking. Beware of the chair and sit too long.

Dangers of sitting

Sitting too long leads to reduced metabolism and fat burning leading to obesity, especially around the waist, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, all of which are risk factors for accidents cerebrovascular. Moving around quietly is good for your health.

Stroke treatment

With a stroke, wasted time is wasted brain. It should be treated urgently like a heart attack. Because ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes have different causes and effects on the body, the two require different treatments. Prompt diagnosis is important to reduce brain damage and allow the doctor to treat the stroke using a method appropriate for the type.

Ischemic stroke occurs due to blocked or narrowed arteries. Treatment tends to focus on restoring adequate blood flow to the brain.

Treatment begins with taking medications that break down clots and prevent more from forming.

Blood leaking into the brain can cause a hemorrhagic stroke. Treatment focuses on controlling bleeding and reducing pressure on the brain. Treatment often begins with taking medications that reduce pressure in the brain and control overall blood pressure, as well as preventing seizures and sudden constrictions of blood vessels.

Rehabilitation

A stroke is a potentially life-changing event that can have lasting physical and emotional effects. Successful recovery from stroke will often involve specific therapies and support systems. These include in particular the following:

Speech Therapy: This helps with problems with speech production or understanding. Practice, relaxation, and changing your communication style can all make communication easier.

Physiotherapy: This can help a person relearn movement and coordination. It’s important to stay active, even though it may be difficult at first.

Occupational therapy: This can help a person improve their ability to perform daily activities, such as bathing, cooking, dressing, eating, reading, and writing.

Support groups: Joining a support group can help a person cope with common mental health issues that can arise after a stroke, such as depression. Many find it useful to share common experiences and exchange information.

Support from friends and family: Close friends and relatives should try to offer practical support and reassurance after a stroke. It is essential to let friends and family know what they can do to help while recovering from a stroke.

Rehabilitation is an important and ongoing part of stroke treatment. With the proper help and support from loved ones, it is usually possible to return to a normal quality of life, depending on the severity of the stroke.