Along with heart attacks, strokes are a major cause of death and disability.

When we hear of someone suffering a stroke, we tend to think the person was old. In most cases this is true, but strokes can happen to anyone, at any time.

Early recognition of a stroke is crucial. The sooner you realize you are having a problem and the sooner you seek medical aid, the better your chances of surviving and/or reducing the amount of damage to the brain.

A stroke is also called a CVA (Cerebral Vascular Accident) and more recently a brain attack. When the blood flow in a blood vessel in the brain is interrupted, the part of the brain that the blood vessel supplied will not receive the blood flow and the oxygen that the blood carries. As a result, the brain cells die.

A stroke can happen in different ways, but each way is equally dangerous because the brain cells die. When the brain dies, the rest of the body follows.

Embolism. As we age, the inside of our arteries can build up a plaque. As a result, all of our arteries in every part of our body gradually get smaller. Sometimes pieces of plaque break off and float around in the blood stream. Free-floating pieces of plaque can lodge in the smaller artery, resulting in a blockage that stops or slows blood flow. The brain cells downstream of the blockage do not receive blood and oxygen, and they soon die.

Blockage. In many cases, the arteries of the brain build up enough plaque to block the artery. When a blockage restricts the blood flow, the brain cells downstream of the blockage are starved for oxygen and die.

Aneurysm. A blood vessel in the brain can develop a weak spot that forms a bulge, just like a weak spot in a balloon. A person can develop one of these weak spots as a child and yet die of old age, never knowing it was there. However, if the weak spot breaks or ruptures, blood leaks out. It may continue to leak until a pool of blood forms. The skull is encased in bone (a solid material) and cannot expand. Therefore, the leaking blood creates an expanding pool that puts pressure on the brain. If there is enough pressure, the brain will stop functioning and the person will die.

• A sudden severe headache (common in an aneurysm)
• Unconsciousness
• Drooping of one side of the face because it is paralyzed
• Difficulty in speaking, possibly because the facial muscles are not working properly
• Loss of bladder and bowel control

• Unequal pupil size and failure to react to light
• Paralysis or weakness (usually on one side)
• Visual disturbances including blurred vision or blindness
• Change in the level of consciousness. A person may appear drowsy, confused or unable to figure out how to perform simple tasks such as doing up a zipper, turning on a light or tying shoelaces. If a person does not seem to be acting normally, something may be happening to the person’s brain.

• Take a recognized first aid course so you know what to do when a person becomes unconscious.
• Recognize the problem. Early recognition is very important. The longer you wait the more brain cells will die.
• Call 911 or the emergency number in your area.

A TIA is also called a little or "mini" stroke. In a TIA, plugged arteries can restrict blood flow in the brain, just as in a stroke. The difference is that, in a TIA, the blood flow is not restricted long enough to kill the brain cells and the person returns to normal.

The person may have the signs and symptoms of a stroke, but the effects are only temporary. They may last for hours or minutes. If this happens to you or anyone you know, seek medical aid as fast as you can. The person’s returning to normal does not mean that things are okay. The person has a serious problem that needs medical attention.

Copyright 1999 Safety Health Publishing Inc.