Stroke · স্ট্রোক

What is a stroke?

A stroke, sometimes called a 'brain attack', happens when the brain's blood supply is interrupted. Most strokes are ischaemic, caused by a clot blocking an artery; some are haemorrhagic, caused by bleeding in the brain. A 'mini-stroke' or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) has similar symptoms that pass quickly but is a serious warning sign.

Symptoms — remember FAST

Stroke symptoms come on suddenly. The FAST test helps you act fast:

• Face — one side of the face droops or the smile is uneven
• Arms — one arm is weak or numb and drifts down when raised
• Speech — speech is slurred, strange or hard to understand
• Time — if you see any of these signs, call emergency services immediately

Causes and risk factors

The biggest risk factors are high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) and previous stroke or TIA. Risk also rises with age and family history. Many of these factors can be controlled to lower stroke risk.

Diagnosis

In hospital, doctors use a brain scan (CT or MRI) to confirm a stroke and find out whether it is caused by a clot or bleeding, which decides treatment. Further tests check the heart, blood vessels and risk factors to help prevent another stroke.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of stroke and must be started as quickly as possible. Clot-busting medicine or a procedure to remove the clot can help with ischaemic stroke when given early. Bleeding strokes are managed differently. After the emergency, rehabilitation and medicines to prevent another stroke are important.

Prevention and recovery

You can lower stroke risk by controlling blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol, not smoking, staying active, eating healthily and treating heart rhythm problems. After a stroke, rehabilitation with physiotherapy, speech therapy and ongoing care supports the best possible recovery.

When to see a doctor

Stroke is always an emergency — call for emergency help immediately if you notice any FAST sign, even if it seems to go away. Quick treatment saves brain tissue. See a doctor too if you have risk factors so they can be managed before a stroke happens.