There are two main types of stroke:
- Ischemic stroke
- Brain-vascular hemorrhagic accident
Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain becomes blocked by a blood clot. This can happen in two ways:
- A clot can form in an artery that is already very narrow. This is called a thrombotic stroke.
- A clot can break off from somewhere else in the blood vessels of the brain, or from somewhere in the body, and travel to the brain. This is called a cerebral embolism or embolic stroke.
Ischemic strokes can also be caused by a sticky substance called plaque that can clog the arteries.
Well now we will teach you how to give First Aid in the event of a Cerebrovascular attack, it can save a life.
Try “FAST”
Finger approaching an eye, the FAST test is used for rapid diagnosis in first aid.
If you are facing a possible stroke, use the “FAST” test to remember the warning signs:
- Face: Does the person's face fall to one side when they try to smile?
- Arms: Does one arm sit lower when the individual attempts to lift both limbs?
- Speech: Can the person repeat a simple sentence? Does she babble or is it difficult to understand?
- Time: During a stroke, every minute is important. Immediately call the emergency number.
In addition to these symptoms, there are other characteristic signs of a stroke that occur suddenly. Some of them are:
- Weakness or numbness on one side of the body.
- Blurred vision or loss of vision, particularly in only one eye.
- Severe headache with no apparent cause.
- Dizziness, unsteadiness or fainting.
- First aid in case of heart attack
- If the person is unconscious and does not respond when touched or spoken to, the person should be placed on their back and their chin raised with one hand. You should also check if he is breathing by putting your ear close to his mouth, listening to his chest and feeling his breathing. In the event that he is not breathing, we must proceed with the resuscitation process.
CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Representation of the CPR technique.
In the event of cardiorespiratory arrest, CPR can help us save lives.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a rescue procedure that is performed when we find ourselves facing a victim in cardiorespiratory arrest. It should be said that sometimes it is necessary to take a first aid course to know what maneuvers should be applied. However, knowing the basic techniques of CPR will be useful for everyone, since an emergency of this nature can happen at the most unexpected moment and everyone can be a victim.
CPR consists of two phases that alternate:
Chest compressions: These maintain blood circulation.
- Mouth-to-mouth breathing: With it, oxygen is provided to the victim.
- First, we will do chest compressions to keep blood flowing through the organs. To do this, we must kneel next to the patient and place the heel of the hands - the carpus - in the center of the victim's chest. Then, place the heel of the other hand on top of the first and intertwine the fingers. At a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, we will do 30 compressions.
- Next, we have to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or rescue insufflations. You should do two and see how the chest inflates to assess that we are doing it correctly.
What not to do in the event of a stroke?
- Many times, in order to help the victim, we do things that make the situation worse. We should not try to calm the symptoms seen previously, since we will be wasting time if they are signs of an accident or stroke. Likewise, we should not give any type of food or drink to the person who may be experiencing a potential cardiovascular accident.
How to prevent an accident or stroke?
As always when it comes to health, prevention is a fundamental factor. Some risk factors for a stroke are:
- Have high blood pressure.
- Having had a stroke before.
- Smoke.
- Suffer from diabetes of any type.
- Suffer from heart disease .
- Age.
Therefore, the main way to prevent strokes will be to avoid the risk factors we mentioned above and also other harmful practices. For example, in addition to avoiding tobacco, it is advisable not to abuse alcohol or self-medicate.
In addition, it is also suggested to maintain a healthy weight, do daily physical activity and eat a balanced diet. Another tip is to monitor blood pressure frequently, as well as blood glucose and cholesterol levels.
If a person has suffered an accident or stroke, immediate medical attention should be sought, as it is a serious emergency. The sooner treatment is administered, the greater the chance of minimizing the damage.
A final recommendation is to carry out a medical check-up annually or every six months for elderly people. In the event that the doctor has indicated a treatment, we must comply with it as he has indicated.
