RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LTD

Patalganga

Occupational Health Center

Dr. P R Ranjan
 What Is a Stroke?
A stroke occurs when a
blockage to the brain's
blood supply occurs.

Stroke symptoms (for

example, loss of arm or leg
function or slurred speech)
signify a medical
emergency because
without treatment, blood
deprived brain cells quickly
become damaged or die
resulting in brain injury,
serious disability, or death.
 Stroke Symptoms
Difficulty speaking
Difficulty understanding or
confusion, especially with
simple tasks
Difficulty with muscle
strength, especially on one
side of the body
Difficulty with numbness,
especially on one side of the
body
Severe headache
Vision changes (in one or
both eyes)
Difficulty with swallowing
Facial droop on one side
 Stroke Test or FAST test : Smile, Wave, Talk
The F.A.S.T. test helps spot
symptoms.
F means face: If one side of
the face droops, its a sign of
a possible stroke
A means arms: If the person
cannot hold both arms out,
its another possible stroke
sign
S means speech: Slurring
words and poor
understanding of simple
sentences is another
possible stroke sign
T means time:
 Diagnosing a Stroke

There are two main

types of strokes
(ischemic and
hemorrhagic) and
they are treated
differently. They are
often emergently
diagnosed by a head
CT scan (or, rarely, an
MRI).
 Ischemic Stroke
CT scan
Ischemic strokes are
caused by clots that
reduce or stop blood
flow to the brain.
80% to 90% of all
strokes.
The clot may develop
elsewhere in the body
and just get stuck in a
brain vessel or the clot
may originate in the
blood vessel.
 Hemorrhagic Stroke
MRI image.
A blood vessel in the
brain breaks open and
blood escapes into the
brain under pressure,
compressing other
blood vessels and brain
cells causing damage
and death.
This bleeding into the
brain is difficult to stop
and is more likely to be
fatal to the patient.
 'Mini-Stroke' (TIA)
"Mini-strokes" (also
termed transient
ischemic attacks or
TIAs) are temporary
blockages of blood
vessels in the brain.
TIAs often occur
before a stroke
happens so they
serve as warning
signs that the person
may need stroke
preventive therapy.
 What Causes a Stroke
Common causes of stroke
come from blood vessels
both outside and inside
the brain. Atherosclerosis
(hardening of the arteries)
can occur when plaque
(deposits of cholesterol,
calcium, fat, and other
substances) builds up and
narrows the vessel making
it easy for clots to form
and further occlude the
vessel.
Occasionally, weakened
vessels can burst and
bleed into the brain.
 Stroke Risk Factors: Chronic Conditions

Common conditions
that increase a person's
risk for strokes include
high blood pressure,
elevated cholesterol
levels, diabetes, and
obesity.
 Stroke Risk Factors: Diet
Eat a diet that has low
fat and low cholesterol
to reduce the chance
of plaque formation in
blood vessels.
Foods high in salt may
increase blood
pressure.
A diet that contains a
lot of vegetables, fruits,
and whole grains,
along with more fish
and less meat
(especially red meat) is
suggested to lower
stroke risk.
 Stroke Risk Factors You Can't Control
Unfortunately, there are
some risk factors that
people cannot control,
such as family history of
strokes, gender (men are
more likely to have a
stroke), and race (African
Americans, Native
Americans, and Alaskan
Natives all have
increased risk for
strokes). In addition,
women who get strokes
are more likely to die
from the stroke than
men.
 Stroke: Emergency Treatment
Emergency stroke
treatment depends on
the type of stroke.
* Ischemic strokes are treated
by methods designed to
remove (dissolve) or bypass a
clot in a blood vessel
*Hemorrhagic strokes are
treated by attempts to stop
the bleeding in the brain,
control high blood pressure,
and reduce brain swelling.
Hemorrhagic strokes are more
difficult to treat.
 Stroke Rehab: Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is
designed to improve a
persons strength, gross
coordination, and
balance.
Regaining fine motor
skills like buttoning a
shirt or using a knife and
fork or writing a letter
are activities that
occupational therapy is
designed to aid.
 Stroke Prevention: Lifestyle
Quit smoking,
exercise, and if
obese, lose weight.
Limit alcohol, salt,
and fat intake and
get into the habit of
eating more
vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, and
more fish and less
meat.
 Life After a Stroke
About two-thirds of people
that have a stroke each year
survive and usually need
some level of rehabilitation.
Some who get clot-busting
drugs may recover
completely, others will not.
Many people who have
disability after a stroke can
function independently with
therapy and rehabilitation
methods. Although the risk
of having a second stroke is
higher after the first stroke,
individuals can take the steps
outlined in previous slides to
reduce this risk.