A stroke happens when there is a blockage or interruption of blood supply to the brain. Strokes can have different short- and long-term effects depending on which part of the brain is affected and how quickly it is treated.

Stroke survivors can experience wide-ranging disabilities including difficulties with mobility and speech, as well as how they think and feel.

Fast access to treatment saves lives and improves stroke recovery.

You can identify the symptoms of a stroke by using and identifying each letter in the word FAST.

• Face – Is the person’s face drooping to one side?
• Arms – Does the person have a weakness in one arm?
• Speech – Is their speech slurred or garbled?
• Time – If this combination of symptoms is present it’s time to call 911.

Did you know?

• Nearly 14 million people will have a stroke this year and around 5.5 million people will die as a result.
• There are two main types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic.
• High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke.

What to Expect After a Stroke

Often times people recover and go back to lead normal lives post-stroke. However, they may experience some continuous problems such as:

• Paralysis (inability to move some parts of the body), weakness, or both on one side of the body.
• Trouble with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory.
• Problems understanding or forming speech.
• Trouble controlling or expressing emotions.
• Numbness or strange sensations.
• Pain in the hands and feet that worsens with movement and temperature changes.
• Trouble with chewing and swallowing.
• Problems with bladder and bowel control.
• Depression.

Preventing Another Stroke

Unfortunately, if you have had one stroke, you may have another.

• One in four strokes each year are recurrent.
• The chance of stroke within 90 days of a TIA may be as high as 17%, with the greatest risk during the first week.

According to https://www.cdc.gov/

10 things you can do to prevent strokes

Here are 10 things you can do to prevent stroke:

1. Lower your blood pressure.
2. Maintain a healthy weight.
3. Exercise more.
4. If you drink alcohol — do it in moderation.
5. Treat atrial fibrillation.
6. Treat and make healthy decisions to combat diabetes.
7. Quit smoking.
8. Check your cholesterol.
9. Take your medicines and prescriptions.
10. See a doctor regularly.

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