Six Warning Signs of Stroke

6 Warning Signs of Stroke Associate Professor Didem Sezgin Özcan from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Medipol Mega University Hospital: "Symptoms such as fainting, vomiting, headache, weakness in arms and legs, vision loss, and speech disorders can be harbingers of stroke. If you experience even one of these, consult a doctor without delay. Early intervention both saves lives and increases treatment success." "Patients who have suffered a stroke at a young age should be examined in detail, the underlying cause should be identified, necessary precautions taken, and appropriate treatments administered" ISTANBUL (AA) - Associate Professor Didem Sezgin Özcan from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Medipol Mega University Hospital stated, "Symptoms such as fainting, vomiting, headache, weakness in arms and legs, vision loss, and speech disorders can be harbingers of stroke. If you experience even one of these, consult a doctor without delay. Early intervention both saves lives and increases treatment success." In her explanation regarding stroke, which can also occur at young ages, Associate Professor Didem Sezgin Özcan noted that stroke, also known as paralysis, can result from vessel obstruction (ischemia) or bleeding (hemorrhage). Associate Professor Özcan explained that stroke is related to reduced or interrupted blood flow through one of the vessels supplying the brain, stating: "It is a condition characterized by sudden partial loss of brain functions as a result of damage to brain tissue. Depending on the location and severity of the damage in the brain, it causes symptoms that vary from patient to patient.

Early Intervention is Critical

Symptoms such as fainting, vomiting, headache, weakness in arms and legs, vision loss, and speech disorders can be harbingers of stroke. If you experience even one of these, consult a doctor without delay. Early intervention both saves lives and increases treatment success." she stated. Noting that stroke symptoms can manifest very mildly in some patients or lead to serious consequences, Özcan reported that the most common early symptoms are sudden loss of consciousness or fainting, vomiting, unexplained sudden and severe headache, speech and comprehension disorders, weakness in arms and legs, sensory and balance disorders, double vision, vision loss, drooping at the corner of the mouth, and urinary or fecal incontinence.

Associate Professor Özcan pointed out that age is an important risk factor in stroke development and noted the following:

"As age advances, the likelihood of stroke increases. However, stroke can also occur in young adults. In patients who have suffered a stroke at a young age, there can be many underlying causes. Examples include blood clots to the brain, structural abnormalities in blood vessels such as fistulas and aneurysms causing bleeding, heart rhythm disorders, sickle cell anemia, use of oral contraceptives or predisposition to clotting in the early postpartum period, numerous rheumatologic and immunologic diseases affecting blood vessels such as lupus and Behçet's disease, certain medications, and various enzyme deficiencies predisposing to blood clotting. Therefore, patients who have suffered a stroke at a young age should be examined in detail, the underlying cause should be identified, necessary precautions taken, and appropriate treatments administered." Noting that transient stroke can be a harbinger of an impending stroke, Özcan stated: "In transient stroke, there is reduced blood supply to the brain, what we call brain ischemia, which occurs for a sufficient duration to produce neurological signs. However, this ischemic condition is short-lived and does not cause permanent damage to brain tissue. Symptoms begin suddenly and typically last several seconds or minutes. All symptoms disappear within 24 hours without causing any neurological deficit. It usually results from small blood clots that break off from plaques in blood vessels. Apart from this, fluctuations in blood pressure can also be causative." she evaluated.

"Starting stroke treatment without delay is critically important"

Özcan stated that beginning stroke treatment without delay, tailored to the type of stroke and the patient's clinical presentation, is of vital importance, noting: "In ischemic stroke treatment, patients who present to the hospital in the first hours can receive thrombolytic drugs through an intravenous route or the blood clot in the occluded vessel can be removed through interventional methods. Thus, blood flow is restored, preventing permanent damage or expansion of the damaged area." she stated. Noting that patients with brain hemorrhage may require close monitoring, medical treatment, angiographic interventions, or surgical treatment depending on the patient's condition and underlying cause, Özcan emphasized that to prevent recurrence in stroke patients, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar must be kept under control, smoking must be quit, healthy nutrition and regular exercise must be adopted, and medications recommended by the doctor must be used regularly.

Özcan emphasized the importance of starting rehabilitation when the patient's general condition becomes suitable for it, noting the following:

"Stroke rehabilitation is a very important and indispensable part of the treatment process for patients who develop permanent dysfunction or loss in the nervous system. The aim is to help patients regain many impaired functions such as walking, using hands and arms, swallowing, speaking, or urinary continence, prevent potential complications, and make the person as independent as possible. The exercises performed send signals to the brain, triggering new movement in weak body areas. We can say that the majority of patients who undergo good rehabilitation can regain the ability to walk and become independent in personal care activities."