We heard about Stoke from friends or relatives a lots, in Chinese we used to call it”爆血管”(burst blood vessel), But in fact, this is only one type of stroke. In old term, stroke we known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA) , a rapid loss of brain function due to disturbance of blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia (lack of blood flow) caused by blockage, or just like what I mentioned at the first place, “burst blood vessel” (hemorrhage).

As a result, the affected area of the brain cannot function, which causing an inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, inability to understand of formulated speech, or an inability to see one side of the visual field. While of course these are the aftermath if emergency treatment can be promptly intervene. But if it gone wrong, stroke can be fatal in just a few second.

Stroke Risk FACTORS : What Increasing the RISK?

1. Increases with age >55 y : When we get old, fragility of our blood vessels become higher and brain hemorrhage are more likely to occur. Besides, as increasing of age, the whole body circulation slower down, blockage could be happened too.
2. Diabetes: According to study, about 20% of patients with cerebrovascular disease also suffering from diabetes. Meanwhile, incidence rate of arteriosclerosis for diabetes patient is five times higher than normal.
3. High Cholesterol: Hyperlipidemia, we can imagine is like your blood is a portion which thicker into high density condition. End up causing fat accumulate inside blood vessels of brain, when a continuous blockage exist then ischemic necrosis (lack of blood flow) will happen.
4. High Blood Pressure: Imagine that your blood vessel is a rubber band which has been pulled out real tight for long time (just like the blood pressure that wasn’t in good controlled). Suddenly one day, it lost the elasticity and broke. And this is how “burst vessel” happened (hemorrhage).
5. Coronary Heart Disease: imagine that your heart is the main-engine that mobilizing your whole inner-body activity, when your heart failed to work, failed to carry blood to brain, ischemic necrosis happened.
6. Obesity: Inside clinical observation, the possibility of developing a stroke for obese people is 40% higher than the normal. Which bring out a significant connection of stroke with obesity.
7. Smoke: Smoking doubles the risk for stroke. It reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, causing heart to work harder and allowing blood clots form easily.
8. Family history. The risk for stroke is greater if a parent, brother, or sister has had a stroke or transient ischemic attack( TIA)

* TIA: A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is like a stroke, producing similar symptoms, LIKE suddenly blindness, weakness, dizziness, loss of balance. But usually lasting only a few minutes and causing no permanent damage.

Coming soon on NEXT: Test fast! How to Recognize and Identify Early stroke.