A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of your brain is interrupted or severely reduced and brain tissue is deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Within a few minutes to a few hours, brain cells begin to die.

This is a medical emergency. Prompt treatment could mean the difference between life and death. Early treatment can also minimize damage to your brain and potential disability.
In the United States, stroke is the third-leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability; only heart disease and cancer cause more deaths annually. Every year about 700,000 Americans experience a stroke; about 160,000 of these people die.

The good news is that many fewer Americans now die of strokes than was the case 20 or 30 years ago. Improvement in the control of major risk factors — smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol — is likely responsible for the decline.

It's important to know the signs and symptoms of a stroke so that you or someone you know can get prompt treatment. The most common signs and symptoms include:

Sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face, arm or leg — usually on one side of the body.
Loss of speech, or trouble talking or understanding speech (aphasia).
Sudden blurred, double or decreased vision.
Dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination.
A sudden, severe "bolt out of the blue" headache or an unusual headache, which may be accompanied by a stiff neck, facial pain, pain between the eyes, vomiting or altered consciousness
Confusion, or problems with memory, spatial orientation or perception.

For most people, a stroke gives no warning. But one possible sign of an impending stroke is a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA is a temporary interruption of blood flow to a part of your brain. The signs and symptoms of TIA are the same as for a stroke, but they appear for a shorter period — several minutes to 24 hours — and then disappear, without leaving apparent permanent effects. You may have more than one TIA, and the recurrent signs and symptoms may be similar or different. A TIA indicates a serious underlying risk that a full-blown stroke may follow. People who have had a TIA are nine times as likely to have a stroke as are those who haven't had a TIA.

High blood pressure (hypertension) does not cause any symptoms, so everyone over the age of 40 should have an annual blood pressure check.

Smokers have double the risk of stroke as non-smokers. Join NetDoctor's free 90-day Stop Smoking Programme.

Irregular heart beat (atrial fibrillation) is fairly common in old age, and increases the risk of stroke by causing blood clots to form in the heart. Blood clots can be prevented from forming by taking warfarin, a medicine that makes the blood less likely to clot. Warfarin treatment requires careful monitoring with regular blood checks and is a very effective way to reduce the risk of stroke.

Diabetes affects 1 in 20 older people, and can also increase the risk of having a stroke. Good control of diabetes is important and requires attention to diet, regular urine tests or blood tests, and probably some medication.

Too much alcohol increases the risk of a stroke. The recommended 'safe' limits for alcohol consumption are 21 units each week for women and 28 units each week for men. One unit of alcohol is equivalent to a measure of spirits, or a glass of wine, or half a pint of beer. People who drink more than this run a higher risk of stroke, liver disease and dementia.


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