Last week at Saddle Mountain Place we had a speaker coming in from BC Ambulance to give a talk on Stroke Recognition and Prevention. It was very informative.
Another name for a stroke is “a brain attack” this occurs when there is something that will block the blood supply that goes to a part of your brain, or it could be a blood vessel in the brain that has burst. This can cause the brain to be damaged or it could die. Some strokes will cause brain damage that could last for a long time, on a long disability and it can even cause death.
Our brains will control our movements, it will store our memories, our thoughts, emotions and our language, our body functions, like our breathing and our digestion. To make sure our brains are working properly it needs to have oxygen.That is the job of the arteries which sends oxygen rich blood to all parts of our brains. When there is something that blocks the flow of blood our brain cells can die within minutes without the oxygen which then causes a stroke.
Strokes are a very serious thing which needs immediate attention with emergency care call 911 right away if you think you or someone you are with is having a stroke. With every minute that goes by the brain will be getting lost.
The signs of a stroke are called F.A.S.T. Is the Face Drooping. Can they raise both Arms. Is there Speech Slurred. Time counts call 911
There are different types of strokes;
Ischemic this is where the blood clots or there are other particles blocking the blood vessel to the brain, also the most common.
Hemorrhagic this is where an artery will leak in the brain or it could break open which is called a rupture. The blood that has leaked will put to much pressure on our brain cells which will damage them. High Blood pressure and aneurysms which are like a balloon bulging in our arteries that could stretch and burst can be used as examples of the conditions that could cause a Hemorrhagic Stroke.
A Transient Ischemic Attack which is called a TIA also called a mini stroke is different from the other two strokes as the blood flow to our brains is only blocked for a short time which might only be five minutes. TIA can also be a warning sign to a future stroke. It is just as important to have emergency care with a TIA as it is with the other two larger strokes. There is no way of knowing if it a TIA or a major stroke as the TIA can also cause blood clots.
There are more than a third of people who have had a TIA and did not go and get treatment for it and had a major stroke within one year, approximately ten – fifteen percent of people that had a TIA could have a major stroke within three months of the TIA
When recognizing and treating a TIA right away could lower your risk of a major stroke.
Remember if you or someone you are with could be having a stroke call 911 immediately it could save yours or their lives.
Whitevalley Resource Center would like to thank our sponsors, The United Way, and Interior Health.
