A Stroke, also known as Brain Attack, occurs when the flow of blood to a particular area of the brain is cut off. Due to
[the_ad id=”6238″]this cut off of blood to brain, the brain cells get deprived of oxygen and glucose. If a stroke is not detected earlier, then permanent brain damage or death can also occur.
Symptoms of Stroke
Few of the symptoms of stroke are:
- Loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Sudden, severe headache
- Loss of balance or unstable walking, combined with another symptom
- Loss of speech
- Difficulty in talking or understanding what others are saying
- Weakness or numbness of any part of the body (Mostly, face or legs)
Causes of Strokes
Major causes of strokes are:
- Clots in the blood vessels leading to the brain
- Too much of cholesterol and fatty deposits
- Breaking or rupturing of blood vessels in the brain
- High blood pressure
- Brain aneurysms (thinness or weakness in the blood vessel wall)
Risk Factors and Prevention of Stroke
About 50% of all strokes are preventable. Even many risk factors which lead to stroke can be controlled before they cause problems.
Few of the controllable risk factors for stroke are:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Excessive intake of alcohol
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Coronary artery disease
- Atrial fibrillation
Few of the uncontrolled risk factors for stroke are:
- Old age (above 65)
- Gender (Women are more at risk than men)
- Family history of stroke
Stroke has become an important cause of premature death and disability in India due to increased prevalence of the key risk factors. Majority of the stroke survivors continue to live with disabilities with long-term rehabilitation and care, which not only affect the family emotionally but financially also. Hence it is very important to control the risk factors of stroke to live a healthy and happy life. Besides, people can have no warning prior to stroke or even mild symptoms which are not easily noticeable.
Check-ups are important to catch problems before they become serious. A stroke prevention check-up can help you evaluate your risk for stroke along with controlling the risk factors.
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