What is stroke: Stroke is a disease that causes damage to the arteries that supply blood to the brain. Stroke occurs when the blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to the brain either burst or are blocked by a clot. We spoke to Dr. Nitin Kumar Rai, working at Fortis Escort Hospital Delhi, and told him what are the symptoms of stroke and how it can be avoided.
stroke symptoms
1. Difficulty in speaking, that is, the patient is not able to say what he wants to say. Apart from this, there is difficulty in understanding what others say.
2. Weakness on one side of the body, face, arms and legs.
3. Vision problems in one or both eyes. This includes double vision, visual field problems, and blurred vision.
4. Sudden and severe headache with changes in consciousness, dizziness, vomiting may be associated with stroke.
5. Loss of balance and coordination may resemble symptoms of a pneumonic stroke.
remember this formula
be fast
b = balance problem
E = eye problem
F = facial weakness
A = arm weakness
S = speech problem
Tea = start time
If you notice any symptoms of BEFAST you should immediately consult a doctor
risk factors for stroke
1. old age
2. family history of stroke
3. atrial fibrillation
4. tobacco consumption
5. lack of exercise
6. bad cholesterol
7. high blood pressure
8. diabetes
9. drinking alcohol
10. suffering from chronic stress
Ways to Prevent Stroke
1. Quit smoking tobacco and alcohol. Control your blood pressure and diabetes with medications and lifestyle changes.
2. Avoid stress, do regular yoga, exercise, brisk walk for 30 minutes daily, eat a healthy diet rich in fiber, avoid oily and processed foods.
3. If your heart rate is irregular, take medicine from the doctor to control it.
4. Patients who have a history of stroke should take blood-thinning medications to prevent future stroke attacks.
stroke treatment
A stroke patient should be brought to the emergency room within 4.5 hours, known as the ‘golden hour’. Here the clot must be managed by thrombolysis to dissolve it. Additionally, if there is a larger blockage in the blood vessel, the clot can be removed by a catheter-based technique called thrombectomy.
