An ischemic stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or reduced. This prevents brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes. Another type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts and causes bleeding in the brain. The blood increases pressure on brain cells and damages them.
A stroke is a medical emergency. It's crucial to get medical treatment right away. Getting emergency medical help quickly can reduce brain damage and other stroke complications.
Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a stroke, even if they seem to come and go or they disappear completely. Think "FAST" and do the following:
- Face. Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
- Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Or is one arm unable to rise?
- Speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the person's speech slurred or different from usual?
- Time. If you see any of these signs, call 911 or emergency medical help right away.
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If you or someone you're with may be having a stroke, pay attention to the time the symptoms began. Some treatments are most effective when given soon after a stroke begins.
Symptoms of stroke include:
- Trouble speaking and understanding what others are saying. A person having a stroke may be confused, slur words or may not be able to understand speech.
- Numbness, weakness or paralysis in the face, arm or leg. This often affects just one side of the body. The person can try to raise both arms over the head. If one arm begins to fall, it may be a sign of a stroke. Also, one side of the mouth may droop when trying to smile.
- Problems seeing in one or both eyes. The person may suddenly have blurred or blackened vision in one or both eyes. Or the person may see double.
- Headache. A sudden, severe headache may be a symptom of a stroke. Vomiting, dizziness and a change in consciousness may occur with the headache.
- Trouble walking. Someone having a stroke may stumble or lose balance or coordination。
Many factors can increase the risk of stroke. Potentially treatable stroke risk factors include:
Lifestyle risk factors
- Being overweight or obese.
- Physical inactivity.
- Heavy or binge drinking.
- Use of illegal drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
Medical risk factors
- High blood pressure.
- Cigarette smoking or secondhand smoke exposure.
- High cholesterol.
- Diabetes.
- Obstructive sleep apnea.
- Cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, heart defects, heart infection or irregular heart rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation.
- Personal or family history of stroke, heart attack or transient ischemic attack.
- COVID-19 infection.
Other factors associated with a higher risk of stroke include:
- Age — People age 55 or older have a higher risk of stroke than do younger people.
- Race or ethnicity — African American and Hispanic people have a higher risk of stroke than do people of other races or ethnicities.
- Sex — Men have a higher risk of stroke than do women. Women are usually older when they have strokes, and they're more likely to die of strokes than are men.
- Hormones — Taking birth control pills or hormone therapies that include estrogen can increase risk.
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