Stroke – Pro-Wellness 心滙

Cerebrovascular disease (or “stroke”) is the fourth leading cause of death in Hong Kong. Statistics from the Centre for Health Protection show that around 3,400 people died of stroke in 2009. The number of people hospitalized due to stroke was even higher than 27,000. Recent data also shows that the there is a downward trend in the age of onset. Stroke is a serious disease as up to 40 percent of patients suffered from various levels of language or swallowing difficulties. Some patients who experienced a serious stroke could also fall unconscious while over half of all stroke patients failed to return to work.

What causes stroke?

Stroke is a condition where the arteries are either blocked or ruptured which causes nerve cells in the brain to die due to a lack of nutrient and oxygen. Damages to the brain cells will result in impairments to bodily functions dominated by the affected brain cells. There are two main types of stroke:

What are the symptoms of a stroke?

Stroke can happen suddenly but most of the time the patient will show the following symptoms:

A transient ischemic attack (“mini stroke”) carries symptoms similar to that of a stroke but lasts only a few minutes and does not leave behind any permanent disabilities. Patients could suffer from one or multiple mini strokes which imply that a real stroke is on the way. Nonetheless, individuals with any signs of stroke should seek immediate medical attention.

How do you check and diagnose a stroke?
Stroke

What causes stroke?

Ischemic stroke:

Caused by blood clots in the arteries and are common as over 70% of cases of stroke fall into this category. Cerebrovascular atherosclerosis occurs when thrombus is formed in the cerebral arteries. It could also happen if a blood clot occurs in heart or carotid arteries and flows to the cerebral arteries and blocks blood flow. Other heart problems such as arrhythmia, heart valve problems and coronary heart disease could also lead to stroke.

Hemorrhagic stroke:

Caused by blood vessel ruptures in the brain which is mostly related to long-standing high blood pressure.

It could also be due to bleeding that occurs in the space between the surface of the brain and the skull. Common causes include an abnormal “bulging” of a blood vessel in the brain or the rupture of a congenitally malformed tangle of thin-walled blood vessels.
What are the symptoms of a stroke?

Stroke can happen suddenly but most of the time the patient will show the following symptoms:

1. Temporary numbness or weakness in the body, limbs or some parts of the face

2. Slurred speech, difficulty in expressing oneself or understanding others

3. Sudden blurred vision or temporary loss of vision

4. Sudden urinary incontinence, dizziness, inability to stand properly or increased risks of falls

5. Difficulty in maintaining balance and coordination

Apart from checking for clinical symptoms, doctors will also perform blood tests for patients and look for various risk factors such as blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar etc. An electrocardiogram may also help rule out any myocardial infarction that may be present. Other health screenings include:

How to cure stroke?
The medical world has so far been unable to find a completely safe, reliable and effective drug for stroke patients. Many of the treatments are still at an experimental stage, and surgical treatment is only effective for a few types of strokes. Current treatments mainly target prevention and treatment of complications as well as early commencement of rehabilitation programs.

Stroke Prevention

Establishing a healthy diet and lifestyle, together with using medications, can help control the risk factors. This can help slow the rate of the hardening of blood vessels, and in turn help prevent stroke.

1. Balanced diet: Consuming less foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can help control blood lipid. Reducing salt (sodium) intake and adopting DASH diet can help control blood pressure.
2. Perform 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day

3. Maintain a healthy weight and waistline

4. Regular health checks: By having a healthy diet, being physically active, and using appropriate medications, blood lipid, blood pressure and blood glucose can be maintained at desirable levels.

5. Do not smoke or quit smoking

6. A relaxed state of mind: Avoid being overstrained. Reduce stress by carrying out activities that are healthy for the body and mind.

7. Medication: Patients who suffered from an ischemic stroke are required to take anti-platelet drugs (such as aspirin or similar medications) or anticoagulants (blood thinning pills) as prescribed by doctors. Patients must also have regular follow-up health checks and perform blood tests regularly to assess the body’s ability to form blood clots. If the blood is too thin, it would greatly enhance the risk of bleeding. Yet if the blood is too thick, it could increase stroke risk.

8. Surgery: Patients with Carotid Arterial Sclerosis could consider surgery to remove the hardened parts. Alternatively blood flow could be improved by carotid stenting. These will help lower the risk of stroke recurrence.
The major risk of a stroke is that patients can lose their precious lives in a short span of time without any warning. This explains the need for early prevention. High-risk groups and those who have shown symptoms of strokes should seek medical advice from specialist doctors at their earliest convenience. Regular check-ups, early detection and appropriate treatment, together with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can all reduce stroke risk.
Pro-Cardio is equipped with advanced non-invasive equipments for the comprehensive assessment of heart and brain blood vessels. To learn more, please go to: screening facilities

If you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact us on 2779 8388 or email us at info@pro-cardio.com. Alternatively, you can also leave your questions for our specialist doctors, registered dietitians and fitness trainer on our online Interactive Forum