Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the world. On average, 1 person dies from a stroke every 3 minutes. What is a stroke? What are the signs of a stroke? Let’s find out what causes a stroke in a healthy person in the article below!
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What is a stroke?
A stroke is also known as a cerebrovascular accident. This is a condition in which the brain is severely damaged because the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or significantly reduced, causing the brain to lack oxygen and not enough nutrients to nourish the cells. Within minutes without an adequate blood supply, brain cells will begin to die.
Therefore, people who have a stroke need immediate emergency care, the longer it lasts, the more dead brain cells will greatly affect the body’s ability to move and think, even death. death. Most stroke survivors have impaired health or have sequelae such as paralysis or weak movement of a part of the body, aphasia, emotional disturbances, impaired vision, etc.
There are two types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke
Ischemic stroke: accounts for about 85% of all strokes today. This is a stroke caused by blood clots blocking an artery, preventing blood flow to the brain.
Hemorrhagic stroke: Hemorrhagic stroke is a condition in which a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing massive bleeding. The cause of a ruptured blood vessel is a weak artery wall or the appearance of cracks or leaks.
In addition, the patient may experience a transient ischemic attack. This is a condition in which the blood supply to the brain is temporarily reduced. Patients have symptoms of a stroke, but they only last for a very short time, usually lasting a few minutes. This is a warning sign of the risk of stroke that can occur at any time that the patient needs to be aware.
What causes a stroke?
There are many factors that increase the risk of having a stroke, including unmodifiable factors and medical factors.
Elements that cannot be changed
- Age: Anyone is at risk of having a stroke. However, older people have a higher risk of stroke than younger people. After the age of 55, the risk of having a stroke doubles every 10 years.
- Gender: Men have a higher risk of stroke than women.
- Family history: People who have a family member who has had a stroke have a higher risk of having a stroke than the general population.
- Race: African-Americans are nearly twice as likely to have a stroke as whites.
Pathological factors
History of stroke: People with a history of stroke have a higher risk of having a second stroke, especially within the first few months. This risk lasts about 5 years and decreases over time.
Diabetes: Problems associated with diabetes have the potential to increase the risk of stroke.
Cardiovascular disease: People with cardiovascular diseases are more likely to have a stroke than the general population
High blood pressure: High blood pressure puts increased pressure on the artery walls, over time causing damage to the artery walls and leading to brain hemorrhage. In addition, high blood pressure also creates conditions for blood clots to form, hindering blood flow to the brain. A blood pressure test is one of the ways to find the cause of a stroke.
Blood fats: High cholesterol can build up on the walls of arteries, forming obstructions that block blood vessels in the brain.
Overweight, obesity: People who are overweight and obese can lead many diseases such as high blood pressure, blood fat, and heart disease. Increased risk of stroke.
Smoking: Studies have shown that smokers are twice as likely to have a stroke. Smoking damages the walls of blood vessels, increasing the process of hardening the arteries. Smoking also damages the lungs, making the heart work harder, and causing high blood pressure.
Unhealthy lifestyle: Eating in moderation, not with a full range of nutrients; Inactivity is one of the leading causes of stroke.
In addition, stroke is also thought to be related to the use of stimulants, and drinking too much alcohol.
Signs of a stroke
The signs of a stroke can come and go very quickly, over and over again, and include:
The body is tired and suddenly feels no strength, the face is numb or half of the face, and the smile is distorted.
Difficulty or impossible movement of limbs, paralysis on one side of the body. The most accurate stroke sign is not being able to raise both arms above your head at the same time.
Difficulty in pronunciation, unclear words, sticky words, abnormal slur. You can perform the test by saying simple sentences and asking the patient to repeat, if unable to repeat, the patient is showing signs of stroke.
Dizziness, dizziness, sudden loss of balance, inability to coordinate activities.
Decreased vision, blurred vision, not seeing clearly
Severe headache, which comes on very quickly, and may cause nausea or vomiting
People who have had a stroke may have some of the above symptoms. The symptoms of a stroke vary from person to person. In addition, the patient may experience a transient ischemic attack with symptoms similar to a stroke, but within a few minutes.
A transient ischemic attack is a warning sign of an impending stroke, possibly within a few days or a month.
The signs of a stroke can come and go very quickly. You need to listen to your body, when you see these signs appear, take the initiative to see a doctor as soon as possible to be checked. The “golden” time for stroke is 60 minutes, with each passing minute, the degree of damage to the nervous system becomes more severe.
How to prevent a stroke?
Reasonable diet
The cause of stroke comes from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and blood fat. Diet is an important factor determining the formation of these diseases. Eating with the right nutrition is an effective way to prevent stroke.
- Eat a variety of vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
- Eat a lot of white meat, seafood, and eggs to supplement protein for the body, and limit eating red meat
- Limit foods high in fat, fried foods, fast foods
- Limit sweets and foods high in sugar
- Drink lots of water, juice, and soy milk.
Daily exercise
Exercise helps to increase blood circulation in the body, improve health, and keep the heart healthy. Exercising for 30 minutes a day, at least 4 times a week, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, leading to stroke.
To keep someone’s body warm
A cold can cause high blood pressure, which increases the pressure that causes blood vessels to burst. It is necessary to keep the body warm and stay healthy, especially for the elderly during the season change.
No smoking
Smoking is one of the risk factors that increase the chances of having a stroke. Smoking is also harmful to the health of yourself and those around you. If you quit smoking within 2 to 5 years, your risk of stroke will be the same as that of a person who has never smoked.
Periodic health check
Periodic health check-ups, early detection of stroke-causing factors, and proactive interventions will help prevent stroke effectively.
People with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and blood lipids need to have regular health check-ups to control their disease status, so that the indicators do not exceed dangerous levels, causing a stroke.
Final thought
Stroke is one of the most serious diseases in the modern age, with a proper diet and healthy lifestyles, we all can prevent stroke. Make sure you follow these practices mentioned above to keep yourself strong and healthy.
Top News hopes this article can help you learn more about the causes of stroke and how to prevent them.
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