What is aStroke?
Stroke happens either when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off because of a blood clot or when a brain artery ruptures and leads to a haemorrhage.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, but most strokes can be prevented by addressing a small number of key
risk factors.
1 in 5 people who have a stroke are diabetic
1 in 4 people are at risk of stroke in their lifetime
Haemorrhagic strokes
Haemorrhagic strokes happen when a weakened blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the brain. The blood builds up and creates pressure on the surrounding brain tissue. These bleeds can be caused by an aneurysm or an arteriovenous malformation (AVM).
Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a ballooning of a weakened region of a blood vessel. If left untreated, the aneurysm continues to weaken until it ruptures and bleeds into the brain.
Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
An AVM is a cluster of abnormally formed blood vessels. Any one of these vessels can rupture, also causing bleeding into the brain.
Ischemic strokes
These strokes occur as a result of an obstruction in a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. An obstruction of blood flow in the blood vessel can cause a blood clot to form, this
is called a cerebral thrombosis.
The main cause of cerebral thromboses are fatty deposits in blood vessels and arteries (atherosclerosis). Blood vessels can also be blocked by a blood clot that has formed in another part of the body, usually the heart or large arteries of the upper chest and neck. Sometimes a portion of a blood clot breaks loose, enters the bloodstream and travels through the brain's blood vessels until it reaches vessels too small to let it pass. This is called a cerebral embolism.
The main cause of this kind of clot is an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation (AF).
Factors That
Contributes of stroke
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that circulates in your blood. Most of the cholesterol in your body is produced in your liver and is carried in your blood by proteins known as lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoprotein – low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density cholesterol (HDL). Stroke is linked to high levels of LDL cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol is often called ‘bad cholesterol’ because if there is too much of it this builds up on artery walls and can cause problems with your circulatory system – this is what increases your risk of stroke.
TOTAL CHOLESTEROL 5 OR BELOW
HDL (GOOD CHOLESTEROL) 1 OR ABOVE
LDL (BAD CHOLESTEROL) 3 OR BELOW
NON-HDL (BAD CHOLESTEROL)
4 OR BELOW TRIGLYCERIDES 2.3 OR BELOW
Smoking
Smoking can affect your body’s cholesterol levels, it reduces the levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and increases the levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. Higher levels of LDL cholesterol increase your risk of stroke. Smoke from cigarettes contains carbon monoxide and nicotine. Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood while nicotine makes your heart beat faster, raising your blood pressure. Half of all strokes are linked to elevated blood pressure.
The chemicals in tobacco smoke also make your blood more prone to clotting. Together these effects of smoking increase your risk of developing atherosclerosis (also known as hardening of the arteries). People with atherosclerosis have narrower, less flexible arteries which reduce the blood flow, contribute to higher blood pressure and increase the likelihood of blood clots. Blood clots that travel to the brain stop blood and cause brain cells to die.
Diabetes
Diabetes contributes to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which increases the risk of blood clot or a ruptured blood vessel. People with diabetes are also likely to experience a number of additional stroke risk factors including obesity, poor diet, inactivity, high cholesterol.
When you have diabetes your pancreas either stops producing insulin, or the insulin it produces doesn’t work properly. Your body uses insulin to convert the sugar (glucose) in your blood to energy. There are two types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes develops when your body stops producing insulin and glucose builds up in your bloodstream. Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood or adolescence.
Hypertension
Consistently high or elevated blood pressure makes your circulatory system – your heart, arteries and blood vessels – work harder at their job of moving blood around your body. This extra work causes damage that can make your blood vessels, including those in your brain, harder and narrower over time. This process, known as atherosclerosis, increases the risk of blockages in the blood vessels in your brain. If the blood supply to an area of the brain is cut off or restricted it can lead to permanent brain damage, or death. Atherosclerosis can also increase the pressure the blood flows through blood vessels in the brain causing them to burst and bleed. This is called a haemorrhagic stroke which can also cause permanent damage to the brain or death.
Know theSignsof aStroke
While stroke is the fifth leading cause of death, few people know the signs. Use the acronym BE FAST to remember the signs of stroke, and what to do if someone near you is experiencing them.
Get theupperhand onStroke
Principles of A good diet
Fruits and vegetables – 5 or more servings per dayFish, such as sardines, salmon or mackerel – at least 2 portions per weekTree nuts and peanuts – at least 3 servings per weekLegumes, such as peas, beans and lentils – at least three servings a weekHealthy oils – olive oil accounts for most calorific intake in the Mediterranean diet, rapeseed/canola, sesame oil could be used.