Recognising a Stroke
Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 September 2008 10:07
Despite stroke being the third most common cause of death in the UK and the leading cause of severe disability, many people still do not even know what a stroke is or can recognise the warning signs.
A stroke is a brain attack. It happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off resulting in damage to brain cells. As the brain controls everything we do, our emotions, our mobility, how we speak, how we think etc, damage to the brain can damage any, or all of these things.
A stroke must be treated as a medical emergency. The sooner someone receives treatment, the better their chances of recovery.
Symptoms of a Stroke
The symptoms of a stroke can be recognised by the FAST test:
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Facial weaknesses – Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye dropped?
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Arm weakness – Can the person raise both arms?
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Speech problems – Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
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Time to call 999 – Any one of these symptoms could indicate a stroke.
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If you see the signs of a stroke, act FAST and call 999 immediately.
The Stroke Association is the only UK wide charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. Its main focus is to prevent stroke and to give support to people who have had a stroke and their families. The Stroke Association also campaigns to raise awareness of strokes and fund research into stroke prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
More than 900,000 people in the UK have had a stroke with over half being left dependant on others. Yet, over 40 per cent of all strokes could be prevented by tackling high blood pressure which is the single biggest risk factor for stroke. The Stroke Association advises all adults to get their blood pressure checked on a regular basis.
Regular exercise, healthy eating, giving up smoking and avoiding excessive drinking all help to control blood pressure. High blood pressure affects over 16 million people in the UK, but a number of these people are unaware so are going untreated and increasing their risk of stroke.
The Stroke Association
If you would like further information about stroke or The Stroke Association, please contact the Stroke Helpline on 0845 3033 100, or visit the website at www.stroke.org.uk
Staff at the Stroke Helpline can answer any questions you have, listen to your concerns and help to reassure you. The helpline provides information about stroke in general, how to get help and support at home, local services and stroke clubs in your area.
