Lets Review Strokes - Are you at risk?

WHAT IS A STROKE?
• A stroke or “brain attack” occurs when blood circulation to the brain fails.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?
• There are 2 kinds of strokes, with the most common being ischemic stroke.
• Ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel to the brain.
• The other type of stroke is called hemorrhagic and is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain.

WARNING SIGNS OF A STROKE?
• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion or trouble talking or understanding speech
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

RISK FACTORS FOR A STROKE
• High Blood Pressure
• Cigarette Smoking
• Heart disease
• Warning signs or history of stroke
• Diabetes

If you think you or someone you know is having a stroke, CALL 911

The information came from the National Institutes of Health Stroke Quarterly Training