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Strokes

Discover what causes strokes and what you can do to reduce the risks of having a stroke, what to do if you suffer from either a mini-stroke or a full stroke, and where to get help and advice.

A stroke - what is it?

A stroke occurs when the blood flow to your brain is interrupted, causing brain cells to die through lack of oxygen.

The two main types are:

  • ischaemic stroke - responsible for 80 per cent of strokes, this occurs when a blood vessel to the brain becomes blocked by a clot
  • haemorrhagic stroke, a brain haemorrhage - more likely if you have high blood pressure, it is caused by a blood vessel bursting causing blood to leak into the brain
  • Chest, Heart and Stroke - Northern Ireland
  • Stroke - NHS Choices website

Discovering if you are at risk

You are at greater risk if you are:

  • older
  • male
  • someone whose immediate family has had a stroke
  • Asian, African or African-Caribbean

You are at risk if you suffer, or have suffered, from:

  • high blood pressure
  • diabetes
  • heart disease - congenital, an enlarged heart or heart-valve disease
  • an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)
  • a blood disease
  • sickle cell anaemia
  • a mini-stroke

You may be at risk if you:

  • smoke
  • drink excessive levels of alcohol
  • eat a lot of saturated animal fats, like cream, cheese, puddings and rich sauces
  • do less than 30 minutes of exercise five times a week
  • take illegal drugs like cocaine or heroin - even if you took them years ago

It is less common for young people to have a stroke. However, if you have diabetes, are overweight, have high blood pressure and raised cholesterol combined you will be at acute risk of a stroke.

Helping prevent a stroke

You can lower your risk of having a stroke by:

  • eating at least five varied portions of fruit and vegetables a day
  • lowering your salt intake
  • taking regular exercise
  • not drinking more than the daily recommended amount of alcohol
  • quitting smoking
  • taking a daily aspirin if you have diabetes
  • having your blood pressure checked regularly

It is important to check with your GP about any medication you may need.

For example, your GP may prescribe you:

  • blood pressure-lowering medication
  • anticoagulant (blood-thinning) treatment if you have atrial fibrillation

Checking out a mini-stroke

If you have a mini-stroke, or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), it is important to have it checked out.

Although they are temporary - sometimes lasting for just a few minutes with symptoms resolving within 24 hours - they are often a warning sign that you may experience a full-blown stroke.

However, there are treatments to prevent that happening.

See your GP as soon as possible and ask to be referred to a specialist stroke service - this should happen within seven days.

Symptoms of a stroke

The most common symptoms to look out for are blurred vision, slurred speech or muscle weakness when you otherwise felt well.

A full-blown stroke is always sudden and could include:

  • numbness or weakness in your face, arm, hand or leg on just one side of your body
  • confusion or difficulty speaking or understanding what someone is saying
  • dimness, blurring or loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • trouble walking and dizziness
  • loss of balance or co-ordination
  • severe headache, sudden vomiting or unconsciousness

The Stroke Association's Face-Arm-Speech Test (FAST) may be able to help you if you are unsure whether someone has had a stroke or not.

If you or someone has a stroke

A stroke is a medical emergency and you should act immediately as early treatment is vital:

  • dial 999
  • go to a hospital casualty department

The effects of a stroke

A stroke can result in death or more often it can leave sufferers with a disability causing them difficulties in talking, walking and performing other basic tasks.

A quick response can enable treatments to be used that can reduce the effects of the stroke.

Getting treatment

A computerised tomography (CT) scan should be carried out within 24 hours of admission to determine whether the stroke is ischaemic or haemorrhagic.

  • ischaemic stroke - you may be given blood-thinning or clot-busting drugs and/or a carotid endarterectomy operation; in severe cases, you may have emergency surgery or medicines for brain swelling
  • haemorrhagic stroke - there are fewer treatments but if it's associated with high blood pressure you will be given appropriate medicines for this

More useful links

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