Immediately call the hospital to ask for an ambulance if you experience symptoms of a stroke or see other people affected by stroke. Upon initial inspection, you may need to be examined more deeply and addressed a specialist at the hospital.
Never underestimate the symptoms of stroke, although the symptoms disappear by itself. Symptoms that could signify missing TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) or minor stroke and your risk of having a major stroke in the next stage.
Symptoms and signs of a stroke that you should know
Each part of the body is controlled by the brain are different so that stroke symptoms will depend on the part of the brain that is affected and the extent of the damage. Symptoms or signs of stroke varies in each person, but generally appear suddenly.
You may remember the following things have to be able to recognize the symptoms of stroke and act appropriately aid.
- How to talk to people that are not clear or garbled, and even some patients who can not speak at all even though they look awake.
- Eyes and mouth on one side of the patient's face looks down.
- The patient's arm is paralyzed when a stroke, therefore they are not able to lift one or both arms.
- Immediately contact the hospital if you notice any symptoms of the above.
Be aware of symptoms or signs above are important, especially for those who live with people at high risk of stroke, such as the elderly, diabetics, or patients with high blood pressure. In addition, symptoms or other signs of stroke include:
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Issues with balance and coordination.
- Communication problems, such as difficulty speaking and understanding the speech of others. Inability to speak may occur in total.
- Dizziness and fainting.
- Vision loss sudden or vision into a double.
- Severe headache that comes suddenly, accompanied by a stiff neck. Headache may occur spinning (vertigo).
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Paralysis on one side of the body.
- Numbness on one side of the body.
- Loss of consciousness
If a TIA, immediately consult a doctor or local hospital. TIA symptoms as stroke and lasts a few minutes to several hours, then disappear. Do not ignore a TIA because the condition could be a warning that the blood supply to your brain problematic.
Stroke treatment
If the stroke is treated effectively, in addition to saving lives, long-term disability can also be prevented. Experts and specialists have set the standard stroke treatment, among which are:
- In the first treatment, immediately call the hospital to ask for an ambulance.
- Bring the patient to a hospital that provides treatment from a specialist.
- Scan immediately, eg, CT scan or MRI scan.
- Place the patient in a special handling unit stroke.
- Examination of the impact of stroke damage, one with a swallow test.
- Bring patient to undergo stroke rehabilitation.
- Always give a stroke patient support so that he can return to normal life in the midst of society.
Initial treatment of ischemic stroke will focus on maintaining the airway, controlling blood pressure and blood flow returns.
Return of blood flow can be through injection of tPA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator) in the veins or arteries. However, not all suitable patients with this treatment. Giving tPA is only effective if given in the first four and a half hours after a stroke began. If through that time period, the drug is not proven to have a positive impact. Basically, the greater chance to heal faster if tPA is given.
To reduce the likelihood of blood clots, patients can be given anti-platelet drugs such as aspirin because aspirin can reduce the levels of stickiness in the blood cells. Patients may be given other anti-platelet drugs if allergic to aspirin.
To prevent blood clotting, patients can be given drugs anticoagulants, such as heparin and warfarin, which works by changing the composition of the blood. Anticoagulant drugs are very suitable given to stroke patients with irregular heartbeat. As for the problem of stroke related to high cholesterol, chances are your doctor will recommend statins to inhibit the cholesterol-producing enzyme in the liver ..
One way to prevent ischemic stroke is to lower blood pressure. If a person's blood pressure is too high, then the doctor will give antihypertensive drugs to lower it, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors), inhibitors of alpha and beta (alpha- and beta-blockers), diuretics, and drugs potassium channel blocker (calcium channel blocker).
Narrowing of the carotid arteries
Is carotid artery or vein in the neck that serves as the blood supply to the brain. Some ischemic strokes occur due to the accumulation of fat which constricts blood vessels carotid. Refinement is also known as carotid stenosis (carotid stenosis).
Sometimes surgery is needed to prevent the recurrence of ischemic stroke, one of which is a carotid endarterectomy. Through this procedure, fatty deposits that hinder the carotid artery disposed of by a doctor with a surgery in the patient's neck. Katoris artery is the artery located on each side of the neck leading to the brain. Although the operating effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy in preventing ischemic stroke is high enough, but it is not completely safe procedure performed on patients who also suffer from other conditions, especially heart disease.
In addition to carotid endarterectomy, a similar operation is also aimed at waging the carotid arteries is angioplasty. However, this operation is not made directly incision in the neck, but in the groin. Catheter that carries a special balloon and stent is then inserted into the groin artery henceforth be directed to the carotid artery. Once in the carotid artery, the balloon is inflated to widen a blocked artery and then supported by the stent.
Treatment of hemorrhagic stroke
In the case of hemorrhagic stroke, which was an emergency treatment is focused to stop the bleeding in the brain and reduces stress on these organs. Apart from giving a pressure-lowering drugs in the brain, doctors also may prescribe medications to reduce hypertension, prevent seizures and prevent the constriction of blood vessels (vasospasm)
The provision of drugs to counteract the effects of blood-thinning effects in patients taking warfarin or drugs anti-platelet, may also be done.
In addition to the drug, hemorrhagic stroke can also be treated with surgery. Surgery to repair a ruptured blood vessel and clean the blood in the brain. This surgical procedure called a craniotomy. During a craniotomy, a small part of the skull to be opened. Then the doctor will repair the damaged blood vessels and ensure no blood clots. The cranium was opened earlier will be replaced after the bleeding stops.
After surgery, the patient will be given the facility ventilator to help him breathe. Ventilator give time to the patient's body to recover and control the swelling in the brain. Usually during the recovery, the patient will be given drugs called angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) to lower blood pressure and prevent the recurrence of stroke.
Treatment of TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) or mild stroke
TIA can lead to a stroke is greater. To prevent that happening, then the doctor will prescribe according to the cause of TIA. The drugs to be administered may include antiplatelet and anticoagulation drugs.
If the TIA related to cholesterol and high blood pressure, the doctor will prescribe angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE inhibitors), or statins, or even a combination of both. In some cases, the surgical procedure is required if the endartectomy carotid TIA occurs due to fat accumulation in the carotid artery.
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