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FACTS ABOUT STROKE

© Kathleen Newton

The medical term for a stroke is CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT, or CVA. A CVA affects the brain.

There are two types of CVA:

*ISCHEMIC: In an ischemic CVA (the most common type of CVA), blood flow through the cerebral arteries (which supply the brain with blood) is decreased, most commonly due to ATHEROSCLEROSIS (the progressive build-up of fatty deposits on the inside walls of arteries). A blood clot lodged in a cerebral artery can also cause an ischemic CVA. When blood flow is unable to meet the oxygen demands of the brain, a CVA occurs.

A TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK (TIA) is an episode of temporarily reduced blood flow to the brain. A TIA usually lasts for only a few minutes, and does no permanent damage to the brain. However, an estimated one-third of people who experience a TIA will have a stroke within five years.

*HEMORRHAGIC: A hemorrhagic stroke is due to the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. Weak areas in the cerebral arteries or high blood pressure (increased pressure on the artery walls) may cause a hemorrhagic CVA.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF TIA AND CVA

-Dizziness

-Weakness

-Numbness

-Paralysis (may be in one arm or leg, or one side of the body)

-Drooping of one side of the face

-Severe headache

-Slurred speech

-Blurred or partial loss of vision

-Nausea and Vomiting

-Confusion and/or disorientation

FIRST AID FOR CVA

*Call 911. It's often difficult to tell the difference between a TIA (non-life threatening) and a CVA (life threatening), so call for help when any of the signs or symptoms of stroke are experienced.

*Keep the victim calm and still.

*Don't give the victim anything to eat or drink (choking is possible if the muscles used for swallowing are affected by the CVA).

*Keep the victim's moth and airway clear. You may have to lay the victim on his or her side to facilitate drainage of fluid or vomit, especially if there is facial paralysis present.

*Often the victim will not understand what has happened, so offer comfort and reassurance that help is on the way.

*Monitor the victim's airway and level of consciousness. Provide rescue breathing and CPR if necessary.

Medical advances in the last few years mean the odds of surviving a CVA today are much greater than ten years ago. New drugs and procedures also mean that, in some cases of stroke, brain damage may be limited or even reduced. As always, the sooner the victim gets emergency medical care, the greater the chance of successful recovery.