Informative Speech On Stroke

Cerebral vascular accident or a stroke is the destruction of brain substance, resulting from thrombosis, intracranial hemorrhage, or embolism, which causes vascular insufficiency. In addition, it is an area of the brain denied blood and oxygen that is required and damage is done to a part of the cells. The effect of the patient depends upon where the damage occurs and the severity of the stroke.

Strokes are caused by a block in the blood supply to the brain which causes a decrease in oxygen and delivery of other important supplies which facilitate proper functioning. Fifteen million cases are reported worldwide annually, although not all of these cases are mortalities, the large prevalence of strokes ranks it as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. (Figueroa) Because of the time sensitivity associated with the lack of resources to the brain, strokes are considered a medical emergency and early recognition of symptoms can help decrease the amount of damage caused . Although strokes do not always cause death, strokes most often leave the individual with some physical and cognitive impairment.

Since strokes are frequently related with old age, symptoms in young adults may be disregarded not only personally, but by doctors as well.

A stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease that affects the cerebral arteries, those blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when one of those blood vessels in the brain is obstructed or ruptures flooding the brain with blood. Depriving blood and oxygen to the brain results in those immediate cells death, causing the brain not to function properly. Once parts of the brain stop functioning, it can directly affect the areas of the body controlled (1).

A stroke is the sudden death of brain cells in a localized area due to inadequate blood

Strokes are the 5th leading cause of death in the US, with one person dying every 4 minutes as a result. For African Americans, stoke is the 3rd leading cause of death.(http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm) It is estimated that About 795,000 people have a stroke each year; about one every 40 seconds - there are many medical conditions that can cause a stroke and it is estimated that 8 out of 10 strokes can be prevented. However, there are some things that cannot be controlled when you are predisposed to

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked. The tissue does not get enough of oxygen and nutrients within minutes, the brain cells begin to die. A stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. The good news is a stroke can be treatable and is more preventable. More people live longer now than in the past years. Stroke is known as the silent killer. Many people ignore the symptoms and cause more damage to their body. People with stroke have trouble speaking and understanding, paralysis or numbness of the face arm or leg. If you ever encounter anyone with these systems, please call 911 imminently for help.

A stroke can be brought on by many different factors like age, gender and family history – all of which one cannot control. Others are lifestyle factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity or being over weight, poor diet, lack of exercise and drinking too much alcohol (stroke foundation Australia). Currently there is no universally accepted treatment (Ward, 2005).

The risk factors for stroke can be classified into non-modifiable and modifiable. Non-modifiable risk factors include age, family history, prior stroke, gender, and race. Whereas modifiable risk factors are hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, dyslipidemia, cigarette smoking, obesity, valvular heart disease, alcohol abuse, and physical inactivity (Basharat et al., 2012).

Stroke is like a heart attack, but instead the problem is with the brain not the heart. Stroke happens when the blood that is suppose to go to the brain is blocked or reduced. When the blood supply to the brain is blocked or reduced, the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen or nutrients, which causes brain cells to die. It can also be because of smoking. Smoking creates blood clots in the artery. Stroke is the top 5 disease that caused death in the US, but for black people stroke is the top 3 disease that caused death. Stroke commonly occurs to people over the age of 65. Even though the risk of having a stroke is high over the age of 65, stroke can occur at any age. Approximately 15 million people suffer from stroke each year. 5 million of these

Risk factors for having a stroke is often related to underlying diseases or disorders. High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart disorders, diabetes, prior stroke, and sickle cell disease are risk factors for a stroke (CDC, 2017b). Lifestyle choices such as unhealthy diet, obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco, and too much alcohol can also increase the risk for having a stroke (CDC, 2017a). Genes passed on from family members, genetic disorders, age, sex, race, and ethnicity can also increase the risk for stroke (CDC, 2016b).

A healthy diet can help reduce the risk of chronic disease, improve overall health, and help reach and maintain a healthy weight. Physical activity helps get the body moving which can help prevent a stroke. Recent studies have shown that people who exercise five or more times a week have a reduced stroke risk. Smoking doubles the risk of a stroke compared to a non-smoker due to increasing clot formation, thickens blood and increases the amount of plaque build-up in the arteries. It has also been proven that Alcohol increases blood pressure and the risk of a stroke. Limiting the amount of alcohol consumed and smoking can in the long term prevent a stroke from

Non modifiable risk factors for stroke are age, gender, race and ethnicity, and family history. The risk for stroke doubles every 10 years after the age of 55 (Rosamound et al., 2007). African Americans older than age 65 have two to five times the risk of stroke compared with Caucasian adults of a similar age (Hylek et al., 2006). Hispanics have a higher incidence of stroke than Caucasians (Stroke Association, 2010). According to the National Stroke Association (2010), approximately 55,000 more women than men have a stroke each year. The target audience for this project will be people age 55 or older. All individuals may take part in this program regardless of age.

Stroke is seen as a major health concern and this is due to the fact that every year, as many as 110,000 individuals suffers from strokes making it a key issue. (NHS 2014)

What is a stroke and how is it related to the aging brain? A stroke happens when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted or it is reduced, depriving the brain tissues of oxygen and food (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). Within minutes of a stroke brain cells begin to die. Early action can minimize brain damage and potential complications. A stroke can cause temporary or permanent disabilities, depending on how long the brain suffers the lack of blood flow (Perlmutter, David. (2004). Some complications after a stroke are; paralyzation (loss of muscle movement), memory loss, and trouble talking. Paralyzation is due to the lack of blood flow to the brain, a patient can lose movement in one side of the body. Stroke can damage too many parts of the brain, and it can start an early brain aging. A stroke can cause a patient to loss control over the way muscles in the mouth move, have difficult talking and eating (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). But one can try to prevent a stroke by taking care of their high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking.