Statins: How the drug prevents heart attacks and strokes
As more brain cells deteriorate, the lasting impact of a stroke can vary greatly. In order to minimise the damage, one must act extremely quickly to alert the emergency services. Do you know what to look out for?
There are three types of stroke: ischaemic, hemorrhagic and mini-strokes, as the British Heart Foundation (BHF) explains.
The key to identify blood loss in the brain is to see if the affected person can “raise both arms” at the same time.
If not, the arm weakness is one of the main signs of a stroke, as well as facial weakness and speech problems.
Facial weakness means the person is unable to smile with both sides of the mouth.
One eye may have drooped, which is another indication of facial weakness that requires emergency medical attention.
Speech problems may result in the person not being able to talk clearly or they may struggle to understand what you’re saying.
If you see any of these warning signs, call 999 immediately – it could help to save a life.
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Ischaemic strokes
This type of stroke occurs when an artery supplying blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot.
Hemorrhagic stroke
A hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel ruptures, causing a bleed in the brain.
Such an occurrence results in less blood being transported to surrounding brain cells, causing them to die.
Mini-strokes
Also known as a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), this takes place when there’s a temporary interruption to the blood flow in the brain.
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Although TIAs usually resolve themselves after a few minutes or seconds, this is still urgent enough to require medical observation.
At the hospital, a brain scan can reveal the extent of brain damage and a person may be kept under observation.
What happens after a stroke?
Recovery from a stroke can take months or years, and having a stroke puts you at higher risk of vascular dementia.
Johns Hopkins Medicine explained a disability may follow a diagnosis of a stroke.
Depending where the stroke occurs in the brain – for example, the cerebrum, cerebellum, or brainstem – the effects may be different.
The cerebrum
The cerebrum “occupies the top and front portions of the skull; it controls movement and sensation, speech, thinking, reasoning, memory, vision, and emotions”.
Any of these functions listed above, including bowel and bladder control, sexual ability, and vision can be badly affected by a stroke.
The cerebellum
The cerebellum is based “towards the back of the skull” that “receives sensory information from the body through the spinal cord”.
A stroke in this area of the brain can lead to the following side effects:
- Inability to walk and problems with coordination and balance (ataxia)
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
The brainstem
Located at the base of the brain, right above the spinal cord, a stroke here would cause issue with “life-support” functions.
This includes breathing and heart function, and may result in a person going into a coma.
Upon waking, there may be issues with vision, speaking, chewing, swallowing and balance.
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