A stroke is a sudden event affecting the brain’s blood supply. In an ischaemic stroke, a blood vessel that supplies the brain becomes blocked. In a haemorrhagic stroke, a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
Although stroke is most common in older people, it can occur in individuals of any age, including young adults and children. Stroke is fatal in about 10 to 20 per cent of cases and, among survivors, it can cause a host of disabilities, including loss of mobility, impaired speech and cognitive problems.
The symptoms of a stroke depend on where in the brain the blood vessels have been blocked or have ruptured. The five most common signs are:
• Sudden weakness or numbness of the face or limbs, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion or difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
All the symptoms of stroke appear suddenly and often there is more than one symptom at the same time.These symptoms may indicate that a stroke has occurred and that medical attention is needed immediately. Brain cells die when they no longer receive oxygen and nutrients from the blood or when they are damaged by sudden bleeding into or around the brain. Some of these nerve cells could potentially be saved with immediate treatment.
Call hospital immediately if you suspect you or someone you know is experiencing any of the symptoms of a stroke. Do not wait. There are now effective therapies for stroke that must be administered at a hospital, but they lose their effectiveness if not given within the first few hours after stroke symptoms appear.
Every minute counts! Time lost is brain lost!
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