We all are aware of the heart attack. But have you ever heard about the brain attack? The brain attack is also termed as stroke. Most of us are not aware of this problem. A person who is a victim of brain attack can be saved only if he is treated properly in a hospital immediately after the attack. Otherwise, it could get fatal.
In this article, we will look into the treatments, symptoms and how to prevent brain attacks.
Heart muscles need oxygen-rich blood continuously. When there is a blockage in the arteries and nerves that carry blood to the heart, it results in heart attack.
Similarly, any block present in the nerves that carries blood to the brain can cause brain attack. In other words, we call it as a stroke. Brain cells will start to die off even if the blood flow to these cells is blocked for a few minutes. The brain will start to lose its control over the body due to this.
Two Types of Stroke
There are two types of stroke. When there is an internal bleeding inside the brain it is called as Hemorrhagic stroke. Coiling is the best treatment that is used to cure this problem.
Another type is caused when there is a blockage in nerves that carries blood to the brain. It is called Transient Ischemic Attack.
4 Hours Rule
A person who has a stroke or brain attack must be treated within 4 hours from the time of the initial attack. Means the blockage in the nerves that carries the blood to the brain must be removed within this time frame. Doing so the person will slowly start to recover from the attack.
Who have the most chances for Brain Attack?
It can happen to anyone irrespective of the age and gender. Chances for stroke in a woman increases after their menopause period. 80% of brain attacks or stroke is treatable, but protecting ourselves from dangers of brain attack is the best way to deal with it.
Who is most vulnerable?
People with high blood pressure
Meaning people who have the pressure of 140/90 increase their risk of brain attack by almost 4 folds from others.
Excess Fat
Similar to heart attack, excess fat also increases chances for a brain attack. As fat is the main ingredient in blocks found in the nerves that carry blood to both brain and heart.
Irregular heart beats
Termed as Atrial Fibrillation, people with irregular heartbeats increase their chances of a stroke by six folds.
Smoking and Drinking Habits
Smoking and drinking are the root cause of many diseases. Heart attack and stroke are no exceptions to this.
Obesity and unorganized lifestyle
Obesity can lead to diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and many other problems, it can also lead to brain attack.
Can we prevent a brain attack?
- It’s essential to detect it in initial stages.
- Diabetes, body weight, blood pressure and many other bodily functions must be maintained in the normal state.
- Smoking and drinking habits must be withdrawn
- Exercising regularly will be of great help. Having a 4 km long brisk walk every day is a must.
Can it be detected in early stages?
People over 40 years of age can undergo an MRI scan for the brain to detect if the nerves attached to the brain are functioning normally.
Treatments
Stroke victims must be taken to the hospital immediately without any delay. If you suspect it to be the brain attack, then taking the patient to the right hospital with all the facilities is the best idea. The hospital must have an emergency doctor who can start treating the patient immediately after being hospitalized. Blocks in the nerves must be removed within 4 hours time. The victim must be taken to the hospital within 20 minutes of the initial attack. This is termed as Door to Needle Time.
Open surgery is not mandatory for stroke lately. Open surgery is rarely advised for people with a lot of injuries and serious conditions in recent times. It is mainly done to save the patient’s life.
Just like Angio is carried out in patients with heart attack, brain Angio is carried out in patients with brain attack. In some cases, surgery may also be necessary.
Are future attacks possible in victims of brain attack?
Yes. It’s really essential and important to take necessary steps to prevent it from happening in future. A healthy lifestyle will be of great help to this problem.
What are the signs of Brain attack?
- Numb feeling in any part of the face, or one side of the face
- Confusion while speaking and understanding
- Confusion with eyesight
- Difficulty with walking steadily or feeling of falling down while walking
- A sudden and unbearable headache.
If you feel these signs, it is better to consult a doctor immediately without any delay.
How to distinguish between brain attack and heart attack
Victims of brain attack have fewer chances to spot that it could be brain attack. They could wrongly diagnose the symptoms such as losing consciousness and losing balance as a sign of heart attack. To detect this, The National Stroke Association advice “FAST” test to these victims.
F – Face
Ask the person to give a smile, notice if the person’s mouth is slightly slanted than normal. Heart attack victims will have normal facial expression while smiling.
A – Arms
Ask the person to raise their hands and legs, if they can follow your instructions correctly, then it is not brain attack.
S – Speech
Ask the person for their name, if they have problems or confusion with remembering their name rightly, then its brain attack. Otherwise, they can remember their name correctly.
T – Time
If you have confusion with any of this, then do not waste any time, take them to emergency care immediately without any delay.
These points are only for people who have not lost their consciousness. A person can rarely lose his consciousness during a brain attack. In this case, only possible way to find out the problem is though CT-scan and MRI scan.