What Is a Stroke?
Stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain becomes disrupted or reduced for any reason, thereby preventing the brain cells from receiving oxygen. The longer the brain is deprived of oxygen, the greater the risk of significant brain damage occurring or, in the worst-case scenario, death. Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and death in adults.
Following a stroke, survivors live with various long-term problems, including but not limited to the following:
- Vision difficulties
- Memory issues or difficulty speaking and thinking
- Trouble walking or maintaining balance
- Difficulty expressing or controlling emotions
- Problems chewing and swallowing
- Paralysis in some parts of the body / muscle weakness
- Difficulty controlling bladder and bowel movements
Stroke is a medical emergency. If you or someone you know develops signs of stroke, get him, her or yourself to a nearby hospital ASAP.
Signs of Stroke
For many people, stroke occurs suddenly and without warning, making it difficult for affected individuals to receive the emergency medical care they need in time. However, for some people, stroke can occur over several hours or even days. In these cases, pay attention for the following:
- Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or problems understanding what others are saying
- Sudden loss of balance, dizziness or trouble walking
- Sudden difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes
- Sudden, severe headache with no discernible cause
- Sudden weakness or numbness of the arm, face or leg — particularly on one side of the body
Again, if you notice any of these signs, call 112 right away.
If you struggle to remember the symptoms of stroke, just remember the handy acronym, FAST. FAST stands for the following:
- F (face drooping)
- A (arm weakness)
- S (speech troubles)
- T (Time to call 112)
Your chances of recovering from and surviving a stroke are significantly higher the sooner you receive emergency medical treatment.
Risk Factors for Stroke
Stroke does not happen to everyone. Stroke strikes individuals who live with certain risk factors, the most influential of which is high blood pressure. High blood pressure typically does not come with any signs or symptoms, so it is imperative that you get your blood pressure checked by your physician frequently. If you are at risk for hypertension, invest in a home test so you can regularly monitor your blood pressure, or ask your doctor for a home testing kit.
Aside from high blood pressure, other factors that can increase your risk of stroke are as follows:
- Have a history of stroke or mini-stroke
- Drink too much alcohol
- Smoke or vape nicotine products
- Use certain drugs, such as heroin or cocaine
- Live with diabetes
- Are physically inactive or do not get enough physical activity
- Are obese or overweight
- Live with high cholesterol
- Have certain heart conditions, such as irregular heartbeat, coronary artery disease or heart valve issues
Because your risk of developing one or more of these risk factors increases as you get older, your risk of stroke also rises with age. You may also have an increased risk if you have a family history of stroke.
Stroke Prevention
Though there are certain risk factors, such as family history and age, that you cannot control, most of them you can. In this way, knowledge is power, as if you know what makes you susceptible to stroke, you can take steps to alleviate the effects of that risk sooner rather than later.
That said, stroke prevention falls into two main categories: lifestyle changes and management of existing medical conditions.
Lifestyle Changes To Prevent Stroke
Reducing stroke risk begins with healthy lifestyle changes. Below are the top areas in which you can make changes to improve all around health:
- Diet: Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce your risk of all morbidities and comorbidities, as a healthy diet protects against many noncommunicable diseases, including high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
A healthy diet is one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, fibre and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Conversely, a healthy diet is low in or devoid of trans fats, saturated fats, cholesterol, processed sugars, red meat and salt. If your diet is high in processed, fatty and/or sugary foods and beverages, work with your doctor to build a more heart- and brain-healthy diet.
In addition to reducing your risk of developing noncommunicable diseases, a healthy diet can also make it easier for you to follow through with the other tips on this list.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Obesity in and of itself is a direct risk factor for stroke. However, obesity, and being overweight in general, can cause other diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, that also increase your risk of stroke. Depending on your weight, losing just 10 pounds can substantially reduce your risk of stroke.
How much weight do you need to lose, though? Ideally, you will maintain a BMI (Body Mass Index) of between 18.9 and 24.9. If you are significantly overweight, work with your doctor to develop a weight loss plan that can help you achieve your goals in a healthy way.
- Exercise More: Exercise has a number of health benefits, included reduced blood pressure, better heart health, lower weight, improved mood and more. However, it is also directly linked to a reduced risk for stroke. Ideally, you will engage in 75 to 150 minutes of moderate to intensive exercise per week, which breaks down to approximately 10.5 to 21.4 minutes each day. Moderate exercise includes activities such a brisk walking, while intensive refers to more physically demanding activities, such as running or jogging. Global health organizations recommend supplementing this activity with strength training exercises, which you should do two or more times per week.
- Limit Alcohol Intake: Alcohol raises blood pressure, which is a top cause of stroke. Limit your intake to no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two per day for men. If you drink more than this on a regular basis, and if you need help quitting, consult with your doctor regarding helpful tips and resources.
- Quit Smoking: Smoking increases your risk of stroke because it directly impacts the arteries. When you smoke, your blood thickens, meaning it travels more slowly throughout the body. Not only that, but it contributes to plaque build-up within the arteries, which, if the plaque becomes too thick, can hinder or prohibit blood flow to the brain. Because of its adverse impact on the arteries, quitting smoking is one of the most powerful lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your stroke risk.
Manage Your Medical Conditions
If you live with existing medical conditions, lifestyle changes may not be enough to reduce your risk of stroke. It is also important that you manage those medical conditions. Some medical conditions that can contribute to your risk for stroke are as follows:
- High Blood Pressure: If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can double or even quadruple your risk for stroke. In fact, high blood pressure is the leading contributing cause of stroke in both men and women. For this reason, it is imperative that you monitor your blood pressure on a daily basis and continually work to either lower it or maintain a healthy level. While your doctor can work with you to establish a healthy goal, the ideal blood pressure for adults is 120/80 or lower. Depending on your current blood pressure levels, your doctor may set an initial, less-aggressive goal of 140/90.
Maintaining healthy blood pressure levels may require lifestyle changes, medication or both. That said, some helpful tips for reducing your levels and keeping them low are as follows:
- Reduce your salt intake to no more than 1,500 milligrams daily
- Avoid foods high in cholesterol, such as cheese, burgers, cakes and ice cream
- Eat four to five cups of fruits and vegetables each day
- Eat two to three servings of fish per week
- Incorporate several servings of low-fat dairy and whole grains into your daily diet
- Quit smoking
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day, more if possible
- High Cholesterol: High cholesterol is another major risk factor for stroke. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor should recommend lifestyle changes and medicines to help reduce your levels and, therefore, your stroke risk. If you do not yet have high cholesterol, have your doctor test your levels every five years or so. If high cholesterol runs in your family, request more frequent screenings. Again, a healthy diet and exercise can help keep your cholesterol levels in check.
- Manage Your Diabetes: High blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels overtime, causing clots to form within their walls. To prevent damage to your blood vessels, get screened for diabetes every three years of so. If you have a family history of diabetes, or if your doctor suspects you have symptoms of diabetes, more frequent screening may be necessary. To manage diabetes effectively, follow the dietary plan your doctor recommends, exercise daily and take your medicines as recommended.
- Treat Heart Disease: Certain heart conditions, such as atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and coronary artery disease, have been linked to increased risk of stroke. If you live with any heart conditions, especially these two, be sure to take your medications as recommended and to follow your provided treatment plan.
- Take Your Medications: Finally, take any medications your doctor prescribes you. These medications are designed to make managing existing conditions easier and, more importantly, to help regulate more stubborn cases of a condition. If a medication has adverse side effects, or if you simply do not like how it makes you feel, consult with your doctor about possible alternatives. However, never stop taking a medicine with the okay from your physician or pharmacist.
