Stroke

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Stroke
Prepared by
DR. MAHDY ATTIA
United Company Physician Tel
03-359-5024 mahdya_at_united.sabic.com
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Stroke is a brain attack!

• Stroke is a cutting off vital blood and oxygen to
  the brain cells that control everything you do -
  from speaking, to walking, to breathing.

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• Most strokes occur when arteries are blocked by
  blood clots or by the gradual build-up of plaque
  and other fatty deposits. Some strokes can be
  caused by arteries rupturing when weak spots on
  the blood vessel wall break.

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Stroke

• Stroke is the third most common cause of death in
  developed countries. It is higher in black
  African than in Caucasian, more common in males
  and uncommon below the age of 40 years.

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Reducing Risk

• Everyone has some stroke risk. A few stroke risk
  factors are beyond your control, such as being
  over age 55, being a male, being an
  African-American, having diabetes, and having a
  family history of stroke.

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Medical stroke risk factors include

• Previous stroke, previous episode of transient
  ischemic attack or TIA, high cholesterol, high
  blood pressure, heart disease, atrial
  fibrillation and carotid artery disease. These
  medical risk factors can be controlled.

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Lifestyle stroke risk factors include

• Smoking, being overweight and drinking too much
  alcohol. You can control these lifestyle risk
  factors by quitting smoking, exercising
  regularly, watching what and how much you eat and
  limiting alcohol consumption.

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National Stroke Associations Stroke Prevention
Guidelines

• Know your blood pressure
• Find out if you have atrial fibrillation
• If you smoke, stop
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation
• Know your cholesterol number
• Control your diabetes.

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• Include exercise in the activities you enjoy in
  your daily routine.
• Enjoy a lower sodium (salt), lower fat diet.
• Ask your doctor if you have circulation problems.
  If so, work with your doctor to control them.
• If you have any stroke symptoms, seek immediate
  medical attention

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Recognizing Symptoms

• Learning them and knowing what to do when they
  occur could save your life.
• Common stroke symptoms include
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or
  leg especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or
  understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

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Call 997 if you see or have any of these symptoms.

• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of
  balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

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Treatment can be more effective if given quickly.

• Every minute counts!

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Other Important but less common stroke symptoms
Include

• Sudden nausea, fever and vomiting distinguished
  from a viral illness by the speed of onset
  (minutes or hours vs. several days)
• Brief loss of consciousness or period of
  decreased consciousness (fainting, confusion,
  convulsions or coma)

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• Following your doctors orders of medication and
  treatment can help reduce your risk of having a
  stroke

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Changing the Perception of Stroke
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• Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to
  identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness
  spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer
  brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize
  the symptoms of a stroke.

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Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a
stroke by asking three  simple questions

• Ask the individual to smile.
• Ask him or her to raise both
• arms.
• Ask the person to speak a simple sentence.

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• If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks,
  call 997 immediatelyand describe the symptoms to
  the dispatcher.After discovering that a group
  of non-medical volunteers could identify facial
  weakness, arm weakness and speech problems,
  researchers urged the general public to learn the
  three questions.

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• They presented their conclusions at the American
  Stroke Association's annual meeting last
  February.
• Widespread use of this test could result in
  prompt diagnosis andtreatment of the stroke and
  prevent brain damage.

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• A cardiologist says if everyone who gets
  this e-mail sends it to 10 people you can bet
  that at least one life will be saved.
• Tell as many people as possible about this. It
  could save their lives!

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Rehabilitation Therapy

• According to the National Stroke Association
• 10 of stroke survivors recover almost completely
• 25 recover with minor impairments
• 40 experience moderate to severe impairments
  that require special care

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• 10 require care in a nursing home or other
  long-term facility
• 15 die shortly after the stroke
• 14 (approximate) of stroke survivors experience
  a second stroke in the first year following a
  stroke.

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Successful rehabilitation depends on

• Amount of damage to the brain
• Skill on the part of the rehabilitation team
• Cooperation of family and friends. Caring
  family/friends can be one of the most important
  factors in rehabilitation
• Timing of rehabilitation - the earlier it begins
  the more likely survivors are to regain lost
  abilities and skills

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Remember

• Your doctor is the single best source of
  information regarding your health.
• Please consult your doctor if you have any
  questions about your health or your medication.