Did you know! Stroke is the second leading cause of death from illness and the third leading cause of disability. According to a survey in 2019 and statistics from the Ministry of Public Health in 2020, there were 34,545 deaths from stroke, and the number is still trending upward every year.
What is a stroke? What causes it? What warning signs or symptoms should be watched for? Who is at risk? And can stroke be prevented? If diagnosed, how should it be treated? Today, we have some valuable information to share.
What is a stroke?
Stroke is a condition where the brain lacks blood supply due to narrowed, blocked, or bleeding blood vessels in the brain, causing blood to be unable to nourish the brain. Brain cells then lack oxygen, resulting in brain death.
Patients experiencing brain ischemia must see a doctor immediately and receive urgent treatment because the severity and duration of symptoms affect the number of brain cells that die, which can lead to disability, impairment, or death.
10 factors that cause stroke
Stroke is divided into two main types: 1. Ischemic stroke caused by narrowed or blocked blood vessels, and 2. Hemorrhagic stroke caused by bleeding. Both types mainly result from 10 key patient risk factors:
- Having high blood pressure
- Having diabetes
- Having high blood cholesterol
- Having high cholesterol levels
- Having heart disease such as arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation), heart failure, or infective valve disease
- Being a smoker or exposed to continuous cigarette smoke
- Being obese
- Consuming large amounts of alcohol
- Having sleep apnea
- Using drugs or stimulants
Additionally, some diseases and abnormalities of the blood vessels supplying the brain can increase the risk of stroke, such as:
- Severe carotid or vertebral artery stenosis
- Abnormal red blood cells or platelets (Polycythemia vera or Essential thrombocytosis)
- Abnormal blood clotting (Thrombophilia)
- Congenital vascular abnormalities such as Moyamoya disease, Cerebral autosomal dominant and subcortical leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL)
- Dissection of the carotid or vertebral artery walls supplying the brain
Who is at higher risk of stroke?
Besides the above risk factors, certain groups have a higher risk of stroke than the general population, including:
- Ethnicity: African American individuals have a higher risk than other ethnicities.
- Gender: Men have a higher risk than women, but women tend to have strokes at older ages and have higher mortality rates than men.
- Genetics: Families with a history of stroke have an increased risk.
- Hormone use: Those using contraceptives or hormone therapy containing estrogen have an increased risk.
Is stroke risk really higher with age?
As age increases, bodily functions deteriorate or decrease, making it easier to develop diseases. In stroke, as blood vessel walls degenerate and lose elasticity, ischemic stroke becomes more likely. People aged 55 and older have a higher risk than younger individuals.
What are the symptoms of stroke?
Ischemic, blocked, or hemorrhagic stroke causes the brain to lack blood supply, damaging the brain and causing abnormal function and symptoms. The severity depends on the brain area affected, such as:
- Slurred speech: inability to speak or speak clearly, inability to understand others, confusion, dizziness, and difficulty understanding speech.
- Weakness in limbs: numbness in the face, arms, or legs, usually on one side, often with facial drooping and slurred or lost speech.
- Sudden blurred vision: vision problems in one or both eyes, sudden blurring, or double vision.
- Dizziness and vertigo: sudden headache and dizziness accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
- Unsteady walking: balance problems or altered consciousness.
Which stroke symptoms require immediate medical attention?
If any of the above symptoms occur, patients should see a doctor immediately, even if symptoms come and go. If you suspect that you or someone close to you is showing signs of stroke, check using the “FAST” method as follows:
- F (Face): Ask the person to smile and observe if there is facial drooping.
- A (Arm): Ask the person to raise both arms above their head and see if one arm drifts downward or is weak.
- S (Speech): Ask simple questions to check if the person can answer clearly and understand.
- T (Time): If any one of these three symptoms is present, there is about a 72% chance of stroke. If all three are present, the chance is over 85%. Immediate medical attention is crucial because the sooner treatment begins, the lower the risk of brain ischemia and disability.
Can stroke be treated?
Stroke can be treated if medical care is received promptly. If symptoms indicate stroke, doctors will perform a CT scan or MRI to differentiate stroke from other conditions with similar symptoms, such as brain tumors or abnormal blood sugar levels.
Additional examinations include physical exams, blood tests, carotid doppler ultrasound, and cerebral angiogram, depending on the doctor’s judgment for each patient.
In cases of acute ischemic stroke with weakness, facial drooping, or unconsciousness, patients must be urgently taken to the hospital for clot-dissolving medication to restore blood flow to oxygen-deprived brain areas. This reduces the risk of disability, impairment, or death. However, clot-dissolving treatment must be administered within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, making early medical attention critical.
How to prevent stroke?
Acute hemorrhagic stroke has no warning signs. Therefore, for at-risk groups, stroke risk screening is one way to prevent severe outcomes. Self-care is also important, including:
- Changing behavior by reducing sweet, fatty, and salty foods
- Controlling weight and exercising regularly
- Avoiding stress, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol
- Avoiding certain medications that may cause vascular abnormalities
Stroke is a dangerous disease, but early detection and timely treatment can help maintain a good quality of life or full recovery. Stroke is preventable through annual health check-ups and direct stroke risk screening to identify risks and choose appropriate prevention strategies.
