As you probably know, prompt treatment of a stroke patient has a huge impact on their survival. For this reason, it is important to raise public awareness of what a stroke is and what its symptoms are.
what is a stroke?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted and it is deprived of oxygen. The consequences can therefore be extremely serious, even fatal. There can be different types:
- Ischemic stroke is the most common. It occurs when a blood clot or cholesterol plaque blocks an artery (this is called an embolism or thrombosis).
- Hemorrhagic stroke is a less common case. It is a hemorrhage in the brain caused by a ruptured aneurysm, a tumor, an accident, a circulatory disorder, etc.
- Transient ischemic attack, finally, is the obstruction of an artery that resolves itself after a few moments. Unfortunately, some people confuse TIA with a simple malaise because of this.
Continued on next page:
The signs to notice can vary depending on the area of the brain that is affected. This can range from a deformed mouth to sudden blindness, speech problems or weakness in a part of the body.
