Leading Causes of Stroke and How to Prevent them

World Stroke Day October 29, 2020

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability around the world. Almost anyone can suffer from a stroke at any time, and so it is important to learn about the causes of stroke and their prevention techniques. Stroke affects the arteries of the brain, when the arteries get damaged or form a clot then it is unable to transport blood and nutrients to the part of the brain causing that part to die. The ischaemic stroke is a mini-stroke where the blood supply to the brain is temporarily blocked due to a floating clot. The effects of stroke can be paralysis, permanent disability, or even death in some cases. 

29^th October is celebrated as World Stroke Day, the motive of this event is to raise awareness and provide help to those in need of this treatment. Everyone can join this movement and help support this cause by participating in the event. This year’s World Stroke Day event doesn’t have a theme, instead, everyone in the world can support it by making a dancing chain. All you have to do is to put on some dance moves and record them and then share your videos on your social media platform and use the tag #1in4 #JoinTheMovement www.worldstrokecampaign.org. 

Causes of Stroke
Stroke can be caused by various factors, an unhealthy lifestyle is one of the main causes of stroke and so, improving and changing the unhealthy ways of living can help in reducing its chances. Three main factors are the causes of stroke which are: Lifestyle, Medical, and Uncontrollable consumption of unhealthy items which includes intoxication by smoking and drinking. Hypertension, High Cholesterol, diabetes, and sitting for long hours can be the biggest reasons for stroke. Let us have a look at how these factors cause a stroke. 

• High Blood Pressure: High BP is the leading cause of stroke and should be maintained. Try to maintain your Blood pressure levels below 140/90 mg. Reduce junk food, saturated fat, and decrease salt intake and eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. Consuming ground flax seeds is also helpful in lowering your BP levels. 
• Obesity: High-fat content in the body causes the risk of stroke. Optimum weight should be maintained by exercising regularly and following a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet. Obesity causes high blood pressure and diabetes and both of these are high risk factors for a stroke.  
• Alcohol Consumption: Heavy alcohol consumption can cause a havoc on your health and therefore, increase your chances of a stroke. In a controlled amount i.e. one drink per day, alcohol may help reduce the possibility of stroke. One drink of red wine is considered good for your heart and brain. 
• Smoking: Smoking is not at all beneficial for your health and is the leading cause of many diseases, one such is stroke. Smoking thickens the blood and increases the risk of a stroke by forming plaque in the arterial walls. 

Prevention and Cure of Stroke 

“Prevention is better than cure”, this saying fits perfectly for people with a high probability of stroke. Instead of going for the cure after suffering a stroke, it is important to prevent it before anything serious happens. Looking at the symptoms and providing early treatment is the best way to prevent this horrifying condition. The best way to prevent any condition is to look into what causes that condition and then work on it. The causes of stroke are given above and by looking at them you can identify that you have to prevent everything that is given there and your chances of stroke will decrease. 

To prevent and cure strokes you need to make some changes in your daily lifestyle and keep track of the type of food you consume. Shifting your life towards a healthy routine will be beneficial for you and will prevent all the possible health damages that you would’ve faced otherwise. Look at some points below to know what treatment options are available if you have suffered a stroke. 

• Early recognition: Look out for the signs and if you witness some signs of stroke then immediately consult a doctor and get proper treatment as soon as possible. 
• Consumption of Clot Busting Drugs (tPA or Thrombolysis): The work of the clot-busting drugs as the name suggests is to break down the blood clots. This increases 30% chances of a good outcome and should be given as early as possible for a better effect.
• Clot Retrieval treatment: If a patient is suffering from a large artery blockage due to a clot, then the clot retrieval surgery is the best treatment. This surgery removes clots and prevents the blockage and increases the chance of survival and treatment by 50%. 
• Get admitted to a Specialized Stroke Unit: If you or your near ones have suffered from a stroke, then you need to get admitted to a specialized ward as soon as possible. The ward is specially designed for stroke patients and proper care is given to every patient in the ward. 

Signs of a Stroke 

The easy way to recognize a stroke according to a US-based National Stroke Association is F.A.S.T. 

F – One side of the FACE droops when a person smiles.
A – Having difficulty in lifting your ARMS. 
S – Experiencing slur in SPEECH.
T – If you notice the above symptoms, then it’s TIME to call an ambulance. 

Other signs of stroke may include:

• Weakness in one side of the body. 
• Face Numbing.
• Headache and Loss of vision.
• Change in a person’s manner of walking. 
• Numbing and tingling sensation on the body. 

Stroke is a very serious health issue and those suffering from it should be given extra care and so on this world stroke day, we should make a pact that we will try to keep ourselves and the people around us healthy and adopt a healthy lifestyle. 1 out of every 4 individuals has a high probability of suffering from this condition, so to prevent it we should all come together and spread awareness about its impact and how we can control it. 

Written By: Swapnil Bisht
Swapnil believes words are souveniers. Grumpy when woken from a slumber. Can be found quoting Bob Dylan or feeding dogs.