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Dear Reader, According to the recent State of the Nation report, stroke occurs approximately 152,000 times a year in the UK — one every 3 minutes 27 seconds. Worldwide, first-time incidence of stroke occurs almost 17 million times a year – one every two seconds. But according to a new study, there is a different kind of stroke that serves as a warning sign for the risk of having a full-blown stroke. It's called a mini stroke – blockages in the brain that last a few minutes or a few hours – and the symptoms are often ignored or written off as a 'bad spell'. Signs of something bigger coming Your arms feel weak, your head is pounding with pain, and forming words and completing sentences becomes hard work… but then, within a few minutes you are back to normal again. What do you do? Seek medical attention as soon as possible or assume those symptoms were just a bad spell and carry on as normal? According to new research, most people would just carry on as normal, when in fact what they need to do is get themselves to a hospital as quickly as possible. What they've just experienced – headache, weakness, and speech trouble – are typical symptoms of a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), or mini stroke. A recent American Stroke Association survey showed only 3 per cent of patients experiencing these symptoms seek the immediate medical attention they need. While the truth is, if you have a mini stroke, you're at greater risk of having a more serious stroke within the following three months. Both mini strokes and "standard" strokes occur when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain. The only difference is that with mini strokes, the blockage is temporary, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours. But don't be fooled by the term "mini". That blood clot can lead to long-term problems and possibly even future strokes, which is why getting medical attention as soon as possible is so important. The most common symptom of a mini stroke – experienced by one in five people – is a headache that's considered "severe." Other warning signs can include sudden confusion, trouble speaking, numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg, vision loss in one or both eyes, trouble walking and dizziness. Even if you only have one or two symptoms on the list, don't be shy about getting evaluated. Considering the fact that 1 in 8 strokes are fatal within the first 30 days and that stroke is the fourth single largest cause of death in the UK and second in the world, it's better to err on the side of caution. Until next time, Francois Lubbe Editor P.S. To read similar articles from The Daily Health's archive, click this link: https://thedailyhealth.co.uk/chronic-disease/
Bear in mind all the material in this email alert is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone's personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein. Sources: 1 in 3 Americans May Have Had a Warning Stroke without Knowing It, medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_165108.html One in three American adults may have had a warning stroke, American Stroke Association survey finds, newsroom.heart.org/news/one-in-three-american-adults-may-have-had-a-warning-stroke-american-stroke-association-survey-finds | ||
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