The Stroke Danger
A stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to an area of
the brain, due to blockage of a blood vessel in or supplying
to the brain. When blood supply is interrupted or stopped,
dysfunction or death of that part of the brain occurs.
Diabetics are at increased risk
If you have diabetes (type 1 or type 2) then you are two
to three times more likely to have a stroke than the rest
of the population.
Diabetes also causes more severe disabilities after a stroke
,a higher frequency of recurrent stroke and a higher risk
of death after stroke
Specific causes Of a stroke in Diabetics
Atherosclerosis is caused by fat or lipid deposits called
plaques on the artery walls. It's the most common reason for
an artery being blocked, and it occurs more commonly, advances
more quickly and is present at a younger age in people with
diabetes.
The other reason could be Hematological abnormality , such
as abnormal clumping, clotting, and stickiness. Hematological
abnormality occurs most commonly in people with diabetic kidney
disease (nephropathy).these clumps could travel to the blood
vessels of the brain and block the smaller vessels thus causing
stroke.
Signals to watch out for:
Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one
or both sides of the body
Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
.
Loss of speech or trouble talking or understanding speech
Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls, especially
with the presence of the above factors
sudden, severe headache with no apparent cause
Risk Factors for stroke
there are two types of risk factors ,those beyond your control
and those which you can act upon
Risk factors you can change include:
Hypertension. Also called high blood pressure, hypertension
is a major risk factor for stroke, but half the people who
have it don't know they have it. People with diabetes are
40% more likely to have hypertension.
Elevated blood fats. High blood fats (also called lipids)
can lead to atherosclerosis, which can lead to stroke.
Cardiac disease such as heart attack, congestive heart failure,
and rheumatic heart disease can increase the risk of stroke.
Tobacco. If you smoke, you have a 40% greater chance of a
stroke if you're a man and a 60% greater chance of a stroke
if you're a woman. Women who smoke and use birth control pills
are 22 times more likely to have a stroke.
Alcohol. Heavy drinking is associated with stroke.
Drugs. Drugs such as LSD, cocaine and amphetamines can increase
blood pressure and cause stroke.
Risk factors you can't change include:
Age. Almost 75% of strokes occur after age 65.
Gender. Women with diabetes are at a higher risk than men
with diabetes.
Treatment To Reduce Risk
Three types of treatment are available to reduce the risk
of stroke.
Medications such as Aspirin and Ticlid prevent the blood
platelets from sticking together and forming clots. Aspirin
reduces the risk of nonfatal stroke by 30%.
Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, are usually used in patients
who have strokes caused by cardioembolism or by patients who
don't respond to other medications .
Surgery. Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure that
treats the narrowing of the carotid arteries of the neck,
caused by atherosclerosis. The carotid artery is opened and
the buildup, called plaque, in the artery is removed.
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