Stroke
A stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to an area of the brain,
due to blockage of a blood vessel in or leading to the brain. When
blood supply is interrupted, dysfunction of that part of the brain
occurs.
- Diabetes Increases Your Risk
- Warning Signs Of A Stroke
- Risk Factors For People With Diabetes
- Causes Of A Stroke
- Treatment To Reduce Risk Of A Stroke
- What You Can Do
Diabetes Increases Your Risk
People with diabetes (type 1 or type 2) are two to three times more likely to have a stroke than the rest of the population.
People with diabetes also tend to have:
- more severe disabilities after a stroke
- a higher frequency of recurrent stroke
- a higher risk of death after stroke
Warning Signs Of A Stroke
- sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body
- sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
- loss of speech or trouble talking or understanding speech
- unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls, especially with the presence of the above factors
- sudden, severe headache with no apparent cause
Risk Factors For People With Diabetes
Risk factors you can't change include:
Age. Almost 75% of strokes occur after age 65.
Gender. Women with diabetes are at a higher risk than men with diabetes.
Risk factors of a stroke people with diabetes can change:
Hypertension. Also called high blood pressure, hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, but half the people who have it don't know they have it. People with diabetes are 40% more likely to have hypertension.
Elevated Blood Fats. High blood fats (also called lipids) can lead to arteriosclerosis, which can lead to stroke.
Cardiac Disease such as heart attack, congestive heart failure, and rheumatic heart disease can increase the risk of stroke.
Tobacco. If you smoke, you have a 40% greater chance of a stroke if you're a man and a 60% greater chance of a stroke if you're a woman. Women who smoke and use birth control pills are 22 times more likely to have a stroke.
Alcohol. Heavy drinking is associated with stroke.
Drugs. Drugs such as LSD, cocaine and amphetamines can increase blood pressure and cause stroke.
Causes Of A Stroke
Arteriosclerosis is caused by fat or lipid deposits called plaques on the artery walls. It's the most common reason for an artery being blocked, and it occurs more commonly, advances more quickly and is present at a younger age in people with diabetes. Risk factors that can lead to arteriosclerosis include hypertension, elevated blood fats, and smoking.
Cardioembolism can be caused if a blood clot breaks loose from one of the chambers of the heart and then lodges in an artery of the brain.
Hematological Abnormality is the same thing as having something wrong with the blood, such as abnormal clumping, clotting, and stickiness. Hematological abnormality occurs most commonly in people with diabetic kidney disease ( nephropathy).
Treatment To Reduce Risk Of A Stroke
Three types of treatment are available to reduce the risk of stroke.
Medications such as Aspirin prevent the blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots. Aspirin reduces the risk of nonfatal stroke by 30%. Ask your physician for the dose that is appropriate for you.
Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, are usually used in patients who have strokes caused by cardioembolism or by patients who don't respond to medications such as Aspirin.
Surgery. Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure that treats the narrowing of the carotid arteries of the neck, caused by arteriosclerosis. The carotid artery is opened and the buildup, called plaque, in the artery is removed.