Approximately 800,000 people have a stroke each year; about one every 40 seconds. Only heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases and accidents are more deadly.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted or reduced. This deprives your brain of oxygen and nutrients, which can cause your brain cells to die. A stroke may be caused by a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or the leaking or bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke)
There are three main kind of strokes; ischemic, hemorrhagic and TIA. Transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke): A neurological event with the signs and symptoms of a stroke, but which go away within a short period of time. A TIA is due to a temporary lack of adequate blood and oxygen (ischemia) to the brain.
Ischemic stroke is the most common form of stroke, accounting for around 85 per cent of strokes. This type of stroke is caused by blockages or narrowing of the arteries that provide blood to the brain, resulting in ischemia - severely reduced blood flow.
These blockages are often caused by blood clots, which can form either in the arteries connecting to the brain, or in other blood vessels before being swept through the bloodstream and into narrower arteries within the brain. Clots can be caused by fatty deposits within the arteries called plaque.
Hemorrhagic stroke are caused by arteries in the brain either leaking blood or bursting open. The leaked blood puts pressure on brain cells and damages them. Blood vessels can burst or spill blood in the middle of the brain or near the surface of the brain, sending blood into the space between the brain and the skull.
The ruptures can be caused by conditions such as hypertension, trauma, blood-thinning medications and aneurysms (weaknesses in blood vessel walls).
Intracerebral hemorrhage is the most common type of hemorrhagic stroke and occurs when brain tissue is flooded with blood after an artery in the brain bursts. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is the second type of hemorrhagic stroke and is less common. In this type of stroke, bleeding occurs in the subarachnoid space - the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover it.
TIAs are different from the aforementioned kinds of strokes because the flow of blood to the brain is only briefly interrupted. TIAs are similar to ischemic strokes in that they are often caused by blood clots or other debris.
Responding quickly to stroke can be the difference between recovery and disability or even death. Luckily, stroke is largely treatable when you know the signs and act fast. A few seconds could save a life, possibly your own.
The theme for World Stroke Day 2016 is Face the Facts: Stroke is Treatable with the tagline of: Lives can improve with better awareness, access and action.
Stroke can happen to anyone at any age. World Stroke Day 2016 recognises that although stroke is a complex medical issue, there are ways to significantly reduce its impact.
We are calling everyone – individuals, families, communities, health professionals and governments – to join the fight against stroke. Let’s take action, drive awareness and push for better access to stroke treatments.
Recognising signs of stroke early, treating it as a medical emergency with admission to a specialised stroke unit and access to the best professional care can substantially improve outcomes.
The right care makes a difference, but many people are not getting the stroke treatment they need.
_0.jpg?itok=QU87XW8D){kind=tracking}
.jpeg?itok=vCj6bCRe)
