Patient education: Stroke (The Basics)

What is a stroke? — Stroke is the term doctors use when a part of the brain is damaged because of a problem with blood flow. Strokes can happen when:

●An artery going to the brain gets clogged or closes off, and part of the brain goes without blood for too long.

●An artery breaks open and starts bleeding into or around the brain.

How do strokes affect people? — The effects of a stroke depend on a lot of things, including:

●What kind of stroke it is

●Which part and how much of the brain is affected

●How quickly the stroke is treated

People who have a stroke can lose important brain functions. For example, some people become partly paralyzed or unable to speak. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world.

How can you tell if someone is having a stroke? — There is an easy way to remember the signs of a stroke. The symptoms usually start suddenly. Just think of the word "FAST" (figure 1). Each letter in the word stands for 1 of the things you should watch for and what to do about it:

●Face – Does the person's face look uneven or droop on 1 side?

●Arm – Does the person have weakness or numbness in 1 or both arms? Does 1 arm drift down if they try to hold both arms out?

●Speech – Is the person having trouble speaking? Does their speech sound strange?

●Time – If you notice any of these stroke signs, call for an ambulance (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1). You need to act FAST. The sooner treatment begins, the better the chances of recovery.

Some experts suggest thinking of the term "BE-FAST" instead. This adds 2 more symptoms to the list above:

●Balance – Is the person having trouble standing or walking?

●Eyes – Is the person having trouble with their vision?

How are strokes treated? — The right treatment depends on what kind of stroke you are having. You need to get to the hospital very quickly to figure this out. At the hospital, the doctors will do tests to confirm that you are having a stroke and figure out what type of stroke it is. This involves imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI, which create pictures of the brain. Other imaging tests are used to look at the blood vessels or heart.

People whose strokes are caused by clogged arteries can:

●Get treatments that help reopen clogged arteries. These treatments can help you recover from the stroke.

●Get medicines that prevent new blood clots. These medicines also help prevent future strokes.

People whose strokes are caused by bleeding can:

●Have treatments that might reduce the damage caused by bleeding in or around the brain

●Stop taking medicines that increase bleeding, or take a lower dose

●Have surgery or a procedure to treat the blood vessel to prevent more bleeding (this is not always possible)

Can strokes be prevented? — Many strokes can be prevented, though not all. You can greatly lower your chance of having a stroke if you:

●Take your medicines exactly as directed. Medicines that are especially important to help prevent a stroke include:

•Blood pressure medicines

•Medicines called statins, which lower cholesterol

•Medicines to prevent blood clots, like aspirin or blood thinners

•Medicines that help keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible (if you have diabetes)

●Make lifestyle changes:

•Stop smoking, if you smoke.

•Get regular exercise (if your doctor says that it's safe) for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week.

•Lose weight, if you are overweight.

•Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and low in meats, sweets, and refined grains (such as white bread or white rice).

•Eat less salt (sodium).

•Limit the amount of alcohol that you drink:

-For females, do not drink more than 1 drink a day

-For males, do not drink more than 2 drinks a day

Another way to prevent strokes is to have surgery or a procedure to reopen clogged arteries in the neck. This type of treatment is appropriate for only a small group of people.

What is a "TIA"? — A TIA is like a stroke, but it does not damage the brain. TIAs happen when an artery in the brain gets clogged or closes off and then reopens on its own. This can happen if a blood clot forms and then moves away or dissolves. TIA stands for "transient ischemic attack."

Even though TIAs do not cause lasting symptoms, they are serious. If you have a TIA, you are at high risk of having a stroke. It's important that you see a doctor and take steps to prevent that from happening. Do not ignore the symptoms of a stroke even if they go away!

More on this topic

Patient education: Transient ischemic attack (The Basics)
Patient education: Lowering the risk of having a stroke (The Basics)
Patient education: Medicines after an ischemic stroke (The Basics)
Patient education: Recovery after stroke (The Basics)
Patient education: Hemorrhagic stroke (The Basics)
Patient education: High blood pressure in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: High cholesterol (The Basics)
Patient education: Atrial fibrillation (The Basics)
Patient education: What can go wrong after a heart attack? (The Basics)
Patient education: Arteriovenous malformations in the brain (The Basics)

Patient education: Stroke symptoms and diagnosis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Ischemic stroke treatment (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Hemorrhagic stroke treatment (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Transient ischemic attack (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Bell's palsy (Beyond the Basics)