Stroke
A stroke can occur at any age and is the sudden loss of brain function caused by a lack of supply of oxygen and nutrients to critical parts of the brain. As a result, brain cells begin to die. There are two main types of strokes, ischaemic stroke, and haemorrhagic stroke. Ischaemic strokes are characterised by an artery in the brain being blocked by a clot, while a haemorrhagic stroke is due to a blood vessel in the brain breaking, causing bleeding. Babies can also suffer a type of stroke when their brain is deprived of oxygen before, during or after birth.
The impact of the stroke depends on the area of the brain it damages. Stroke victims must receive hospital treatment as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms, no matter how long symptoms last.
Symptoms of a stroke include; weakness in the face, arms or legs on either side of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding, dizziness, loss of balance or an unexplained fall, decreased or blurring vision and loss of vision in one or both eyes, a severe and abrupt headache or change in the pattern of headaches, difficulty swallowing.
One in six people will suffer from a stroke during their lifetime. It is predicted that over 700,000 Australians will be living with the effects of a stroke by 2032.
